A documentary film by a director from Yakutia has been shortlisted for the Berlinale. 

The film "Chuuraa" by Yakut director Evgenia Argubaeva has been shortlisted for the Berlinale Film Festival. She collaborates with her brother, Maxim Argubaev, and has lived in London for the past several years, representing the United Kingdom at this year's festival. 

The film tells the story of a scientist who discovers ancient creatures in the permafrost. According to Maxim Argubaev's Instagram, the filming passed In February 2025, for The New York Times Magazine, the film follows four divers searching for ancient artifacts as permafrost melts, releasing ancient fossils into rivers and making them easier to find. 

This isn't their first film to receive high awards. In 2022, their film "Exit" was presented at the Berlinale, held for the first time in Asia, and in 2023, "Exit" was nominated for an Oscar. They failed to win the award, but the documentary filmmakers were invited to become members of the American Film Academy. At the Berlinale, they represented Russia and Great Britain. 

They also continue filming in Russia. The film "Summer Will End," starring Yura Borisov, won awards in 2025. Director - Maxim Arbugaev. 

Yakut cinema has long been phenomenon: Films by directors from the region have long won over audiences in USA and other countries. It's also being watched in Russia. The film "Diodorova: Against the Current" by director Sandal Baishev from Yakutia became one of the most successful, among domestic films, at the box office, collecting more than 48 million rubles with a budget of 6 million rubles.