This biographical film tells the story of Soviet pilot Lydia Litvyak. She was a fighter pilot, flight commander, and junior guard lieutenant. Lydia became a Hero of the Soviet Union for her bravery in the fight for the Motherland. She tragically died at the age of 21, defending the country in battle on the Mius Front. The film crew worked in the harsh conditions of the Orenburg steppe, near the village of Panika, located 40 kilometers from Orenburg. In extreme heat and scorching sun, the actors and crew worked 12 hours a day, striving to present to viewers as quickly as possible a film about the life and feat of Soviet pilot Lydia Litvyak. Part of the filming took place in the pavilions of Lenfilm, where the appearance of the Stalingrad region of 1943 was recreated. Sets were built there, such as mud huts, izbas, a dugout located next to a military airfield, the regimental command post, and the main character's apartment. The sets were designed to be reusable, except for Lydia's apartment.

Filming Locations:

Field

In the Movie

The scene where in the endless steppe, two military men discuss the future. Lydia, with slight anxiety, asks her comrade: "So, are you going to prepare for a new war?" He, looking into the distance, quietly but confidently replies: "It turns out so."

In Reality

The scene was filmed in the endless steppe of Orenburg region, near the village of Panika, which is located just 40 kilometers from Orenburg. This place is full of open, spacious areas, with gentle hills and sparse shrubs characteristic of steppe territories. Peace reigns here, only a light breeze touches the tall grasses, and the air is saturated with the smells of steppe flora. The landscape opens in all directions, where the horizon merges with the sky, creating a feeling of boundlessness and solitude.

Lydia's Apartment

In the Movie

The scene where Lydia carefully enters an empty apartment, where silence and peace reign. Her hands reach for the switch, about to turn on the light, but stop, barely touching it. For a few moments she stands in the semi-darkness, as if thinking, and suddenly decides to leave everything as it is.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the Lenfilm studio, one of the oldest film studios in Russia, founded back in 1936 in St. Petersburg. It is known for its large-scale sets and high quality of work in film production. The studio includes several pavilions, among them the famous Fourth Pavilion, where historical and military sets are often built, including for the film "Litvyak". Within its walls, iconic films such as "Andrei Rublev", "Battleship Potemkin", and "Ivan the Terrible" were created. The studio is also known for its innovations in cinematographic art and for nurturing new generations of filmmakers.

Lydia's Apartment

In the Movie

The scene where Lydia carefully enters an empty apartment, where silence and peace reign. Her hands reach for the switch, about to turn on the light, but stop, barely touching it. For a few moments she stands in the semi-darkness, as if thinking, and suddenly decides to leave everything as it is.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the Lenfilm studio, one of the oldest film studios in Russia, founded back in 1936 in St. Petersburg. It is known for its large-scale sets and high quality of work in film production. The studio includes several pavilions, among them the famous Fourth Pavilion, where historical and military sets are often built, including for the film "Litvyak". Within its walls, iconic films such as "Andrei Rublev", "Battleship Potemkin", and "Ivan the Terrible" were created. The studio is also known for its innovations in cinematographic art and for nurturing new generations of filmmakers.