OREANDA-NEWS  The US Film Academy has invited Russian directors Maxim and Evgenia Arbugaev to become members of the organization, according to the academy's website. In total, 398 cinema figures received such an invitation.

"The Academy is pleased to welcome these artists and professionals as its members. They represent outstanding global talents in various cinematic disciplines and have had a vital impact on the art and science of cinema and on cinema fans around the world," the website quotes the words of the organization's CEO Bill Kramer and its president Janet Young.

Brother and sister Maxim and Evgenia Arbugaeva are from Yakutia. In March of this year, their film "Exit" was nominated for an Oscar in the category "Best Short Documentary". The film shows the everyday life of marine biologist Maxim Chakilev, who studies the behavior of walruses on the shore of the Chukchi Sea. Animals cannot stay on ice floes, which are getting smaller every year due to climate change, and move to land. The movie is dedicated to the consequences of this climate crisis.

"Exit" was shown at the Berlin Festival in February 2022. The film was also recognized as the best short documentary at the 38th annual IDA Documentary Awards in Los Angeles.