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Chuuraa

Berlinale Shorts 2026
© Maxim Arbugaev, Vladimir Egorov
In the wilderness of the Siberian Arctic, Aisen Klimovskii, an Indigenous Sakha palaeontologist, descends into the depths of the melting permafrost and traverses the mythical realm of the Underworld in search of an ancient creature. Balanced between mythology and science, Aisen’s journey through the claustrophobic, dangerous caves is guided by a poetic narration inspired by the epic storytelling tradition of the Sakha people.
The film explores one of the most pressing climate change issues of our time – accelerating permafrost thaw releases greenhouse gases and unearths creatures carrying viruses and microorganisms from the distant past.

Trailer/Film Excerpt

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by Evgenia Arbugaeva (Director)
with Klavdia Khatylaeva, Dorkhoon Dokhsun United Kingdom 2026 Sakha 18' Colour World premiere | Documentary form

With

  • Klavdia Khatylaeva (Voice 1)
  • Dorkhoon Dokhsun (Voice 2)

Crew

Director Evgenia Arbugaeva
Cinematography Maxim Arbugaev, Vladimir Egorov
Editing Evgenia Arbugaeva, Joshua Chadwick
Sound Design Anastasiia Frolova
Producer Evgenia Arbugaeva

Produced by

Albireo Films

London, United Kingdom

Photos

Evgenia Arbugaeva

© Dina Litovsky

Born in Tiksi on the coast of the Laptev Sea in the Russian Arctic in 1985, the filmmaker and photographer now lives in the UK but remains connected to her homeland and covers stories on climate change and Indigenous communities. She is a National Geographic Explorer and a recipient of the ICP Infinity Award and the Leica Oskar Barnack Award. Her short film Haulout, which she directed with her brother Maxim Arbugaev, premiered in the 2022 Berlinale Shorts and was nominated for an Oscar. Chuuraa is her second film.

Filmography

2022 Haulout; short film, Berlinale 2022 2026 Chuuraa; short film, Berlinale 2026

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2026