19/34
This is a documentary about lesbian female-to-male and female-to-male transgender people
An Iranian American trans man goes back in time to an LGBTQ+ archive to understand his sexuality. On an erotic journey of self-discovery, she encounters her past and present. It is primarily concerned with life after transition, with a slight emphasis on the transition process.
There are two main categories of topics
It also deals with those whose physical orientation is masculine. One is Lou Sullivan, a F to M trans activist who was a pioneer in identifying as gay. He is represented by many excerpts from interviews he has given on television and from the writings of one of his reporters.
This is wrapped up in a narrative drama
The other is a series of interviews with various trans people with different presentations and anatomies: one male-identified subject insisted on keeping her vagina. While trans nights in gay bathrooms are a great help in not having to explain themselves, they often have trouble finding intimate partners. A trans male Iranian-American (who left Iran soon after the revolution) goes to a queer archive in Chicago to do research and befriends a younger, more male trans staff member.
Discussions about an Iranian dish called “omelette” enhance the Iranian element
This hybrid approach added interest and made it feel more like a simple documentary than a dry one. I saw it as part of a film festival, where actors and directors were in attendance. The director said that the Iranian actor helped make a short “proof of concept” to solicit funding, and added Iranian touches to the script and retained it.