First to the Moon

First to the Moon

Year: 2018

Runtime: 122 mins

Language: English

Director: Paul Hildebrandt

Documentary

In 1968, as the world faced unrest, Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders embarked on a groundbreaking mission. This documentary explores their journey to become the first people to leave Earth and travel to the Moon. Through restored archival film and audio recordings, the astronauts recount their individual paths that led them to the same capsule, and share their experiences during this historic and daring voyage.

Melancholic
Bittersweet ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – First to the Moon (2018)

Trace every key event in First to the Moon (2018) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Journalists uncover a prewar Soviet space secret

Around 2000, a group of journalists investigates a secret document. The material hints that before World War II, in 1938, the USSR built the first rocket and planned to send an orbiter to the Moon and back. The evidence suggests Soviet cosmonauts were first.

Around 2000
2

Selection and training of a small cosmonaut group

The film follows the selection and training of a small cadre of cosmonauts. Among them, Captain Ivan Sergeyevich Kharlamov stands out. The process sets the stage for a mission that would redefine the historical narrative.

Late 1930s USSR
3

Kharlamov becomes the leading candidate and rockets lifts off

Kharlamov is groomed for the mission, fitted into a space suit and loaded into the capsule. The rocket lifts off toward the Moon but contact with the capsule is soon lost. This moment marks a pivotal climax for the mission.

1938-39 Launch site
4

Aftermath begins as search for information commences

Most of the film follows the search for what happened next. The 1930s space program appears to dissolve, with no clear explanation, hinting at Stalin's purges. The atmosphere is one of secrecy and fear.

1930s
5

Capsule reportedly returns and lands in Chile

It is implied the capsule survived reentry and landed somewhere in Chile. The film then traces Kharlamov's rumored route back toward the Russian Far East via Polynesia and China to avoid capture.

Post-mission (1938-39) Chile
6

Kharlamov's evasive journey via Polynesia and China

Kharlamov travels in disguise through Polynesia and China, trying to stay ahead of interrogations. His wife covers for him when questioned about his whereabouts.

Post-1939 Polynesia, China; on the path to the Russian Far East
7

Discovery on the Mongolian steppes after Khalkhin Gol

Years later, Kharlamov is found on the Mongolian steppes following the Battles of Khalkhin Gol. He has sustained a severe traumatic brain injury.

After 1939 Mongolian steppes
8

Psychiatric treatment and disappearance

He undergoes psychiatric treatment in a sanatorium in Chita. Afterward, he disappears, and details remain unclear.

Early Cold War Chita
9

Wife remarries

His wife remarries, marking a quiet end to the family's prior life. The story hints at a personal toll behind the political mystery.

Post-disappearance
10

The mission footage resurfaces as a found film

The movie ends with the revelation that the mission footage was found at the Chile landing site. The film now belongs to the Antofagasta Natural museum.

Present day within the film's framing Chile (Antofagasta region)
11

Fragments of the mission: piloting and lunar EVA

The closing footage shows Kharlamov piloting the vehicle on final approach to the Moon. A lunar landscape panorama shows the lander resting on the surface, likely captured during EVA.

End of film Moon
12

Final hangar scene and closing credits

The film presents a brief clip of the other cosmonauts walking through a hangar with the 1930s space program director. Credits roll as the mystery of the prewar mission lingers.

End of film Hangar

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:06

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Historical investigation documentaries like First to the Moon

Documentaries that explore lost histories with a reflective, speculative tone.Explore a collection of movies like First to the Moon that investigate lost histories and vanished projects. If you enjoyed the melancholic, investigative tone of this film, you'll find similar documentaries here that explore historical mysteries with speculative reflection and restored archival material.

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Stories in this thread typically follow a logical investigative path, beginning with a historical discovery or question and methodically piecing together evidence. The narrative arc is less about high-stakes drama and more about the process of uncovering a forgotten truth, often leading to a bittersweet conclusion that acknowledges both discovery and loss.

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Stories about grand projects and pioneers, tinged with melancholy and loss.Discover movies similar to First to the Moon that explore grand technological or exploratory missions. If you were moved by the bittersweet story of the Apollo 8 astronauts and the reflection on a vanished Soviet program, you'll find other films here about ambitious projects with melancholic undertones.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves following a group or individual striving for a groundbreaking goal. The journey highlights the technical challenges and human determination, but the resolution is often complex, revealing the personal toll, political context, or historical fate of the endeavor, leaving a feeling of admiration mixed with sorrow.

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These films share a core thematic focus on ambition and its consequences. They are united by a medium emotional weight, a bittersweet ending feel, and a tone that thoughtfully examines the gap between heroic ideals and complicated realities, whether in space exploration, engineering, or other pioneering fields.

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First to the Moon Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in First to the Moon

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