Lubov Arcus

In 2013, Arcus opened a charitable foundation, named in honour of Anton Kharitonov. The foundation helps socialization, education and creative involvement of children and adults with ASD. First of its kind in Russia, by 2021 the foundation grew into a center that helps more than 500 families with ASD members.

In 2008, while working on Seans' initiative Cinema of open action, Arcus encountered Anton Kharitonov, a teenager with ASD. She became deeply involved in his life, trying to save him from a psychoneurological dispensary. To gain public attention to problems of people with ASD, Arcus decided to film a documentary about Anton.

In 1989, she founded Seans magazine that soon became the best Russian blueprint on cinema. In 1993, Arcus became the editor-in-chief. In 1993, Seans launched its publishing house. In 2001-2004 it released a monumental seven-volume almanac Recent History of Russian Cinematography. 1986-2000. Arcus wrote multiple articles, compiled and edited the book. In 2010, Seans established its creative workshop. Under Arcus, the publication grew into the most influential magazine on cinema with leading modern writers as columnists. By peers, the magazine is acknowledged ‘the last stronghold of common sense in modern Russia’.

Arcus entered Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography from the third attempt, she studied at the course of Lidiya Zaitseva. After graduation in 1984, she worked as a literary secretary of Viktor Shklovsky and an editor at Lenfilm.

The movie Anton's Right Here received numerous Russian and international awards and was screened at the 69th Venice Film Festival.

As recalled by Arcus, her maternal relatives were Jews, while her father's ancestors were Harbin Russians. Her paternal grandfather was shot in repressions of 1937, his widow was arrested and spent all her life in labour camps.