Ella Balinska Nails First Takes in Harsh Filming Conditions for 'The Occupant'
Ella Balinska braves real snow and single-take scenes in ‘The Occupant’, a survival thriller set in the Caucasus Mountains.
Ella Balinska is taking on extreme conditions in her new survival thriller The Occupant, out in theaters and on VOD August 8. She plays Abby, an engineering geologist who survives a helicopter crash in the snowy Caucasus Mountains. Filming on location meant the snow had to stay pristine—no footprints allowed—so many scenes had to be nailed in a single take.
Balinska and the crew, led by director Hugo Kejzer, improvised with tiny rock markers and worked in limited daylight, often hauling equipment up the mountain themselves. She says the harsh environment mirrored Abby’s exhaustion, especially after years of work on Charlie’s Angels, Run Sweetheart Run, Resident Evil, and Skincare.
In the film, Abby’s goal isn’t saving the world—it’s getting home to her sister, who’s battling cancer. For Balinska, the mix of emotional and physical demands made the project stand out. “It was really remarkable,” she told UPI of the shoot’s challenges and teamwork.