Shooting stars: Russians beating US in race for first film shot in space

Actor and director on International Space Station push ahead of Hollywood project led by Tom Cruise

The list of firsts" in orbit under the Soviet space programme is legendary: first satellite, first dog, first man, first woman.

Now another looms after Russia sent an actor and a director to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of plans to make the first film in orbit - and once again put one over on the Americans.