Fedor Konyukhov. Photo: Ilya Novodvorsky, a participant in the competition of the RGS “The Most Beautiful Country”
A special screening of a feature film about a solo journey around the Earth in a hot-air balloon took place in Paris. The film tells about the challenges Fedor Konyukhov faced during one of the most ambitious events in the history of ballooning.
Starting in Australia, the traveler covered about 35,000 km in 268 hours and 20 minutes and set a number of world records. During the flight, he encountered a hurricane, loss of communication, oxygen deficiency, and physical exhaustion.
The work on the film «Lord of the Wind» took almost six years. In 2024, its creators were awarded the National Crystal Compass Award in the «Best Mass Media Project, Media Project» category. The awards were received by director Igor Voloshin and general producers Fyodor Bondarchuk, Denis Baglay, Mikhail Vrubel, Aleksandr Andryushchenko, and Vadim Vereshchagin.
«The story of Fedor Konyukhov is an example of incredible fortitude, courage, and dedication to one’s work. Such films not only tell about outstanding achievements but also inspire viewers to discover new things, overcome difficulties, and believe in human potential. It’s especially gratifying to see that the film resonates with audiences beyond Russia, ” said Ivan Chaika, chairman of the organizing committee for the National Crystal Compass Award.
This is not the first European screening of the film. In November 2025, «Lord of the Wind» was presented at the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Luxembourg.
The Crystal Compass Award is presented annually under the auspices of the Russian Geographical Society for outstanding achievements and research in the field of geography, ecology, and related sciences, for contributions to the preservation of natural and historical-cultural heritage, technological developments, and the development of society. In 14 years, nearly 5,500 author teams from 63 countries have competed for the award. In the special «Public Recognition» category, nearly 1.2 million people expressed their preferences.