This autumn, the TV channel Rossiya and the online cinema Okko will release the historical adventure drama *Arsenyev*. Ondasyn Besikbasov, an actor from our agency, plays a role in the film.
27 july 2026 · News
The series will tell the story of a great explorer, ethnographer, and writer whose life was inextricably linked with the Far East. For most, Vladimir Klavdievich Arsenyev is primarily associated with his invaluable books, "Along the Ussuri Region" and "Dersu Uzala," which describe numerous expeditions and offer a unique perspective on the nature and people inhabiting this vast region. However, behind this romantic explorer was also a man of duty, discipline, and immense personal responsibility, who served his country during one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in its history.
Vladimir Arsenyev endured so many trials, amazing encounters, and events that the creators of the series considered it appropriate to choose the adventure genre for it. The series covers a 26-year period of Arsenyev's life, from the dramatic events of Tsarist Russia to the trials of the Soviet era. Over the years, Arsenyev, through dangerous expeditions, made numerous geographical discoveries and conducted important ethnographic research. He celebrated the lives of the indigenous peoples of the Far East—the Nanai, Udege, and Oroch—in his books, proving that Primorsky Krai was not a backwater of the empire, but rather its vital and steadfast pillar, the center of its future.
The action takes place in 1905 in the Far East. Captain Arsenyev, leading a hunting party, combines military service, secret missions for the General Staff, and research. Amidst intrigues at work and strained family relationships, he participates in expeditions, pursues scientific endeavors, and gradually becomes a prominent figure not only in the military but also in the public life of both the region and Russia as a whole. Historical upheavals change his destiny, and his desire to remain loyal to his country leads to new trials. Arsenyev's story is a man's journey through turning points in his own life and the life of his country. In addition to recounting important historical achievements, the series depicts Arsenyev's profound human drama: amid a complex political situation and family problems, he constantly had to choose between duty, truth, and the well-being of his loved ones.
Work on the series "Arsenyev" began in 2021 with the writing of the first draft of the script. Filming began on October 26, 2023, at Cape Tobizina, the southernmost cape of Russky Island in Vladivostok. Filming concluded on December 27, 2024, at the Moskino Cinema Park. A large-scale set, "Far Eastern City," was built specifically for this project, featuring historical sites of early 20th-century Vladivostok: the sea fishing port, the famous Millionka Chinatown, a fire tower, the governor's house, barracks, and warehouses. The series features over 100 actors, for whom over 200 historical costumes were created.
The series was directed by Dmitry Kiselev, and the director of photography was Vladimir Bashta. The script was written by Ilya Tilkin, with contributions from Yevgeny Mironov and Dmitry Kiselev. The series' producers are Alexander Novin and Vadim Sokolovsky.