Directing

Maksim Avdeev

Maksim Avdeev was born and raised in the quaint Russian town of Agryz, with a population of barely ten thousand and no public swimming pool. From an early age, they harbored a creative and inquisitive spirit, finding solace and inspiration in movies that served as a magical escape from the constraints of reality. Films featuring actors like Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep captivated them, and their first emotional cinematic experience with "Kramer vs. Kramer" ignited a desire to become a storyteller and filmmaker. Despite this passion, Maksim's creativity remained stifled during much of their childhood. It wasn't until their relocation to St. Petersburg that they discovered the ball scene, a crucial catalyst for embracing their sexuality and identity. This newfound liberation led them to pursue professional training as an actor. During their time at drama school, Maksim graced several theater productions, short films, and music videos. Notably, they took on the lead role in the music video for the Russian band Sansara, a project that doubled as a branded short film for the Russian LGBT network, titled "We Will Become Better." The film gained international acclaim, earning distinctions such as "Best Concept" at the Berlin Music Video Awards and "Best Director" at the Cannes Lions. Encouraged by the film's director, Andzej Gavriss, Maksim embarked on writing his first short screenplay, "The Tribute," which received recognition at various international screenwriting contests. The themes of motherhood, acceptance of queer identity, femininity, and feminism explored in "The Tribute" turned out to be pivotal elements in their artistic expression.