This photo was taken by Yuri Grigoryev, an actor and director, in 1963. He captured Vasily Shukshin on the banks of the Katun River, surrounded by his friends and colleagues.
At the time, Shukshin was working on the film There is Such a Lad. This was his first experience as a film director, so he put in a huge amount of effort. The filming took place in the Altai Mountains. According to memoirs, the entire film crew was just crazy about Shukshin, who felt like a fish in water in his homeland, in the Altai air. Everyone was excited about the project, which seemed to move along smoothly, without any effort.
Shukshin arranged holidays for everyone: he would announce a day off and take film crew members to the village of Srostki to relax and enjoy a bathhouse. Once, when the author of the photo, Grigoryev, and Shukshin had already chopped the wood and piled it neatly in front of the small wooden bathhouse, a childhood friend of Shukshin, cameraman Alexander Kuksin, appeared from behind the fence. He was supposed to take them to the river to fetch water.
Grigoryev’s wife Renita recalled this episode in her book On the Way Home (Siberian Diaries): “There was a loud rumble. An edge of a lorry cab appeared from behind the fence. A minute later Alexander”s head popped out. “Come on, guys, quickly, I can”t turn off the engine, it”s hard to start, ” he said in a businesslike manner. We rushed outside. The old lorry, the kind produced before World War II, stood by the fence. It was shaking a little, and smoke came from under the hood. Vasily and Yuri rolled out a barrel and put it in the back. Maria, who was watching our preparations, shouted from the porch: “Come back soon! “… I wanted to open the lorry door, but there was no handle. “It”s on the other side, ” said Alexander, “I”ve got it locked here.” Indeed, the door was tightly bound to the cab with thick copper wire. I climbed into the cab from the driver’s side and carefully lowered myself onto bare springs. ‘One minute, ” said Alexander and put a piece of plywood for me to sit on. “Is this your own car? ” “Yes, kind of… It”s total trash… It should have been written off. I made a deal with a guy, bought it, fixed some stuff, and now it”s on the run, you see. But you should keep the engine running, it”s very difficult to start…” The lorry made the last turn and, bouncing on large pebbles, drove into the water.’
At the time, Shukshin was working on the film There is Such a Lad. This was his first experience as a film director, so he put in a huge amount of effort. The filming took place in the Altai Mountains. According to memoirs, the entire film crew was just crazy about Shukshin, who felt like a fish in water in his homeland, in the Altai air. Everyone was excited about the project, which seemed to move along smoothly, without any effort.
Shukshin arranged holidays for everyone: he would announce a day off and take film crew members to the village of Srostki to relax and enjoy a bathhouse. Once, when the author of the photo, Grigoryev, and Shukshin had already chopped the wood and piled it neatly in front of the small wooden bathhouse, a childhood friend of Shukshin, cameraman Alexander Kuksin, appeared from behind the fence. He was supposed to take them to the river to fetch water.
Grigoryev’s wife Renita recalled this episode in her book On the Way Home (Siberian Diaries): “There was a loud rumble. An edge of a lorry cab appeared from behind the fence. A minute later Alexander”s head popped out. “Come on, guys, quickly, I can”t turn off the engine, it”s hard to start, ” he said in a businesslike manner. We rushed outside. The old lorry, the kind produced before World War II, stood by the fence. It was shaking a little, and smoke came from under the hood. Vasily and Yuri rolled out a barrel and put it in the back. Maria, who was watching our preparations, shouted from the porch: “Come back soon! “… I wanted to open the lorry door, but there was no handle. “It”s on the other side, ” said Alexander, “I”ve got it locked here.” Indeed, the door was tightly bound to the cab with thick copper wire. I climbed into the cab from the driver’s side and carefully lowered myself onto bare springs. ‘One minute, ” said Alexander and put a piece of plywood for me to sit on. “Is this your own car? ” “Yes, kind of… It”s total trash… It should have been written off. I made a deal with a guy, bought it, fixed some stuff, and now it”s on the run, you see. But you should keep the engine running, it”s very difficult to start…” The lorry made the last turn and, bouncing on large pebbles, drove into the water.’
