The Dead Horse

Old building of the Academy of Fine Arts is falling apart, from the roof to the heating. Art professor Maxim Adamov needs the funding for his sculpture pavilion, so he runs for the head of the academic senate. Because of the gender mainstreaming policy, a woman is preferred for the position. Maxim turns the policy upside down and claims himself as a trans-woman, and wins over his friend Vera.

He enjoys his new status, prospers at school, as well as professionally. At his gallery show, Vera points at his new identity in front of journalists. Maxim is unsettled. Gradually, strange things start happening to him -– lower salary, mansplaining etc.

With the new conservative government, the Academy receives restricting orders. Vera is getting disciplinary tremors; a student commits suicide.

Maxim is searching for ways to stop it but discovers that he signed the absurd orders himself! Damaged heating in the building causes a fire in the sculpture pavilion, the academy is disappearing in flames.