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BIO
Biography
Sergei Davydov was born on June 15, 1992, in Tolyatti, Russia.
In 2014, he graduated from the Samara State Aerospace University. In 2022, he completed his master’s degree in Creative Writing at the Higher School of Economics.
In 2012, Davydov’s debut play Lev Tolstoy Street, 49 was shortlisted for the Eurasia International Playwrights’ Competition. In 2020, he received the "Kulminatsiya. Play of the Year" award for Republic — a play about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the civil war in Tajikistan.
In 2021, Republic was recognized by the expert council of the national Golden Mask Award as one of the most significant theatrical events of the season.
In 2023, his novel Springfield was published, becoming the first book of the publishing house Freedom Letters. The novel has been translated into Spanish, German, and French. In the same year, the collection Five Plays about Freedom was published, followed by Five Plays about War the next year (compiled and with a foreword by Davydov).
In 2025, Sergei was nominated for the independent award “Dar.” From 2024 to 2025, he was a fellow of the Gefangenes Wort Foundation (Hessen, Germany) and the Artist Protection Fund (New York, USA).
Over 30 of Davydov’s plays have been staged in Moscow, St. Petersburg, London, San Francisco, Tbilisi, Belgrade, Berlin, Los Angeles, and other cities. Over the years, he has won competitions such as “Remark,” “Deystvuyushchie Litsa,” and others.
His works have been translated into English, German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, and other languages.
Davydov appears as a guest speaker and lecturer at cultural events including Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin (2024), Berliner Buchmesse (2025), Frankfurter Buchmesse (2024), projects by Quarteera e.V. (Stuttgart, 2023), Interbok (Stockholm, 2024), International Library of Stockholm (2024), among others.
In 2024, Roskomnadzor, by decision of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, added Springfield to the registry of banned information for "LGBT propaganda".
Since January 2023, Davydov has been living in Germany for political reasons.
Sergei Davydov was born on June 15, 1992, in Tolyatti, Russia.
In 2014, he graduated from the Samara State Aerospace University. In 2022, he completed his master’s degree in Creative Writing at the Higher School of Economics.
In 2012, Davydov’s debut play Lev Tolstoy Street, 49 was shortlisted for the Eurasia International Playwrights’ Competition. In 2020, he received the "Kulminatsiya. Play of the Year" award for Republic — a play about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the civil war in Tajikistan.
In 2021, Republic was recognized by the expert council of the national Golden Mask Award as one of the most significant theatrical events of the season.
In 2023, his novel Springfield was published, becoming the first book of the publishing house Freedom Letters. The novel has been translated into Spanish, German, and French. In the same year, the collection Five Plays about Freedom was published, followed by Five Plays about War the next year (compiled and with a foreword by Davydov).
In 2025, Sergei was nominated for the independent award “Dar.” From 2024 to 2025, he was a fellow of the Gefangenes Wort Foundation (Hessen, Germany) and the Artist Protection Fund (New York, USA).
Over 30 of Davydov’s plays have been staged in Moscow, St. Petersburg, London, San Francisco, Tbilisi, Belgrade, Berlin, Los Angeles, and other cities. Over the years, he has won competitions such as “Remark,” “Deystvuyushchie Litsa,” and others.
His works have been translated into English, German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, and other languages.
Davydov appears as a guest speaker and lecturer at cultural events including Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin (2024), Berliner Buchmesse (2025), Frankfurter Buchmesse (2024), projects by Quarteera e.V. (Stuttgart, 2023), Interbok (Stockholm, 2024), International Library of Stockholm (2024), among others.
In 2024, Roskomnadzor, by decision of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, added Springfield to the registry of banned information for "LGBT propaganda".
Since January 2023, Davydov has been living in Germany for political reasons.
Selected Bibliography
In Russian:
"Polny United: Seven Plays About Youth". — Tolyatti: V. Smirnov Literary Agency, 2019. — 200 p. ISBN 978-5-98147-137-7
"Springfield". — Freedom Letters, 2023. — 132 p. ISBN 978-0-9938202-3-6
"Five Plays About Freedom". — Berlin: Freedom Letters, 2023. — 212 p. ISBN 978-1-998084-21-0
"Five Plays About War" (compiler and author of the foreword). — Berlin: Freedom Letters, 2024. — 204 p. ISBN 978-1-998265-34-3
"Poetry Cycle". — Berlin: Queer Migration Zine, Quarteera e.V., 2024 (download)
In German:
"Niemand wollte Teil der Geschichte werden". — In: Nein! Stimmen aus Russland gegen den Krieg. Hamburg: Rowohlt Verlag GmbH, 2024. ISBN 978-3-498-00743-0
"Springfield" (excerpts). — In: Versatzstücke queerer Dichtung. Hamburg: Textem Verlag, in collaboration with Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin, 2025
In English:
"Brothers", translation by Madina Shanaeva, for the International Theatre Festival "TACT", Trieste, Italy (download)
"Border", translation by Tatyana Axelrod, project "365 days", Pushkin House, London (download)
"We, the Remainers". — Journal ROAR No. 5, translation by Lyudmila Razumova, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2022
"We Consist of Russia". — Journal ROAR No. 10, translation by Marina Berlin, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2023
"Trinity". — Journal ROAR No. 10, translation by Marina Berlin, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2023
"Republic", translation by Alexander Vartanov (download)
"Let’s Play", translation by Daria Kochetova (download)
"Nobody Wanted to Become Part of History". — Journal ROAR, Issue 13, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel
"Partially" and "Thin Red Line". — Journal ROAR, Issues 14–15, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel
In Spanish:
"Springfield". — Bilbao: Consonni, translation by Alexandra Rybalko Tokarenko, 2025. — 192 p. ISBN 978-84-19490-46-9
In French:
"Springfield". — Paris: Perspective Cavalière, translation by Nicolas Stuyckens, 2025
In Italian:
"Confine". — Journal ROAR No. 1, translation by Martina Napolitano, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2022
In Japanese:
"僕らはロシアの一員だ" (We Consist of Russia and Trinity). — Journal ROAR No. 10, translation by Satoko Takayanagi, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2023
"誰も歴史になりたいと思わなかった" (Nobody Wanted to Become Part of History). — Journal ROAR, Issue 13, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel
Screenwriting:
2025 — I have to run, directed by Oleg Khristolyubsky (Germany, film in German, English, and Russian)
Selected Theatre Works:
2024 — The Border, directed by Ray Hana, DeepArtment Theater, West Hollywood
2024 — The Border, directed by Ray Hana, Hollywood Fringe Festival, Los Angeles
2023 — Let’s Play, directed by Tim Tkachev, Jazz Union Space, Tbilisi
2023 — Die Grenze, directed by Yuriy Shekhatov, ACUD Theater, Berlin
2023 — The Border, Pushkin House (within the 365 project: Rehearsed Reading of Three Anti-War Plays), London, San Francisco, Tbilisi, Belgrade, Berlin
2022 — Ronaldo Will Never Catch Up with My Grandma, directed by Nikita Betehtin, Stanislavsky Electrotheatre
2021 — Where Is My Home, directed by Kama Ginkas, Moscow Young Generation Theater (based on the play "Republic")
2020 — The Philistines (based on M. Gorky’s play), directed by Elizaveta Bondar, A. A. Bryantsev Youth Theater, Saint Petersburg
2019 — Kolya Against Everyone, directed by Yu. Laykova, Center for Drama and Directing, Moscow
2017 — Brothers, directed by N. Betehtin, National Centre for Contemporary Arts, Moscow
2016 — Transsib, directed by D. Brusnikin, Y. Kvyatkovsky, S. Shchedrin, Moscow Art Theatre School
2016 — Implicit Influences, directed by V. Lisovsky, Teatr.doc, Moscow
In Russian:
"Polny United: Seven Plays About Youth". — Tolyatti: V. Smirnov Literary Agency, 2019. — 200 p. ISBN 978-5-98147-137-7
"Springfield". — Freedom Letters, 2023. — 132 p. ISBN 978-0-9938202-3-6
"Five Plays About Freedom". — Berlin: Freedom Letters, 2023. — 212 p. ISBN 978-1-998084-21-0
"Five Plays About War" (compiler and author of the foreword). — Berlin: Freedom Letters, 2024. — 204 p. ISBN 978-1-998265-34-3
"Poetry Cycle". — Berlin: Queer Migration Zine, Quarteera e.V., 2024 (download)
In German:
"Niemand wollte Teil der Geschichte werden". — In: Nein! Stimmen aus Russland gegen den Krieg. Hamburg: Rowohlt Verlag GmbH, 2024. ISBN 978-3-498-00743-0
"Springfield" (excerpts). — In: Versatzstücke queerer Dichtung. Hamburg: Textem Verlag, in collaboration with Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin, 2025
In English:
"Brothers", translation by Madina Shanaeva, for the International Theatre Festival "TACT", Trieste, Italy (download)
"Border", translation by Tatyana Axelrod, project "365 days", Pushkin House, London (download)
"We, the Remainers". — Journal ROAR No. 5, translation by Lyudmila Razumova, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2022
"We Consist of Russia". — Journal ROAR No. 10, translation by Marina Berlin, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2023
"Trinity". — Journal ROAR No. 10, translation by Marina Berlin, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2023
"Republic", translation by Alexander Vartanov (download)
"Let’s Play", translation by Daria Kochetova (download)
"Nobody Wanted to Become Part of History". — Journal ROAR, Issue 13, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel
"Partially" and "Thin Red Line". — Journal ROAR, Issues 14–15, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel
In Spanish:
"Springfield". — Bilbao: Consonni, translation by Alexandra Rybalko Tokarenko, 2025. — 192 p. ISBN 978-84-19490-46-9
In French:
"Springfield". — Paris: Perspective Cavalière, translation by Nicolas Stuyckens, 2025
In Italian:
"Confine". — Journal ROAR No. 1, translation by Martina Napolitano, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2022
In Japanese:
"僕らはロシアの一員だ" (We Consist of Russia and Trinity). — Journal ROAR No. 10, translation by Satoko Takayanagi, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel, 2023
"誰も歴史になりたいと思わなかった" (Nobody Wanted to Become Part of History). — Journal ROAR, Issue 13, compiled by Linor Goralik. Israel
Screenwriting:
2025 — I have to run, directed by Oleg Khristolyubsky (Germany, film in German, English, and Russian)
Selected Theatre Works:
2024 — The Border, directed by Ray Hana, DeepArtment Theater, West Hollywood
2024 — The Border, directed by Ray Hana, Hollywood Fringe Festival, Los Angeles
2023 — Let’s Play, directed by Tim Tkachev, Jazz Union Space, Tbilisi
2023 — Die Grenze, directed by Yuriy Shekhatov, ACUD Theater, Berlin
2023 — The Border, Pushkin House (within the 365 project: Rehearsed Reading of Three Anti-War Plays), London, San Francisco, Tbilisi, Belgrade, Berlin
2022 — Ronaldo Will Never Catch Up with My Grandma, directed by Nikita Betehtin, Stanislavsky Electrotheatre
2021 — Where Is My Home, directed by Kama Ginkas, Moscow Young Generation Theater (based on the play "Republic")
2020 — The Philistines (based on M. Gorky’s play), directed by Elizaveta Bondar, A. A. Bryantsev Youth Theater, Saint Petersburg
2019 — Kolya Against Everyone, directed by Yu. Laykova, Center for Drama and Directing, Moscow
2017 — Brothers, directed by N. Betehtin, National Centre for Contemporary Arts, Moscow
2016 — Transsib, directed by D. Brusnikin, Y. Kvyatkovsky, S. Shchedrin, Moscow Art Theatre School
2016 — Implicit Influences, directed by V. Lisovsky, Teatr.doc, Moscow