Her father was Alfred L. Yarbus, a scientist famous for understanding how eye movements help human beings explore images.
Born in Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union, Yarbusova received a degree in film animation from VGIK in 1967, after which she began working for Soyuzmultfilm in the roles of art director or artist.
She debuted as art director in the film A Little Locomotive from Romashkovo,[1] directed by Vladimir Degtyaryov, in 1967.
She did also work on other films such as A White Skin and Plasticine Hedgehog, but is primarily known for her work as the art director and artist in the films of Yuri Norstein,[2] beginning with The Battle of Kerzhenets in 1971.
She is currently working with her husband on an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's Overcoat.