In spite of the fact that the two collaborators were not actually relatives, they accepted the popular misunderstanding that they were brothers and used it in the credits to their movies.
The feature-length documentary "Heroic Deed Among the Ice" (premiered on October 23, 1928) was their first directing experience.
In the credits of their next (and their first feature film), "The Sleeping Beauty", they called themselves the Vasilyev brothers for the first time.
The 1934 film "Chapaev" brought the Vasilyev brothers countrywide fame and worldwide professional recognition.
The film's premiere took place on November 5 in the Leningrad cinema theatre "Titan".