I am the T is a multi-part documentary that tells a cross-cultural narrative of trans* stories that are unique and connected through the shared theme of becoming your true self. Told through a lens that portrays each participant's experience subjectively, I am the T portrays the lives of trans people in a realistic and truthful manner. Filming locations will include Norway, Australia, Lesotho, Canada, Denmark, Thailand, Germany, the Philippines, the Netherlands, and Malaysia.
After a successful fundraiser on Indiegogo, Norway was the first country we filmed in. We chose a trans person named Isak as our first documentary subject after finding his Instagram-Isak’s posts evoked a strong message of positivity and a desire to help others. While filming in Norway, we were able to interview Isak’s dad, friend, and coworkers to understand how the world around Isak perceives him. While transitioning is often conceptualized as a solely personal phenomenon, this transformation often influences the world around a trans person. Isak’s segment, entitled I am Isak, delves into the reasons why a person needs to transition and how the community around them reconfigures towards acceptance. I am Isak was released in February 2016 in Norwegian with English subtitles.
In the summer of 2015, we captured three different stories in Canada that show how different the trans experience can be. Our three subjects differ in age, with the youngest being nineteen and the oldest being thirty-six, as well as ethnicity, class, and occupation. One of our videos from Canada tells the story of an Iranian immigrant named Nima, who now lives in Vancouver. Nima’s story is a testament to the importance of considering culture when discussing trans identity, and the power of being able to become your true self. Our full segment from Canada, Finding Cedar, tells the story of a late 30s trans man who had a challenging past, and is now committed to teaching his community and changing the world. You can watch our short video from Canada about a trans man originally from Iran here:
While many people may not envision the Middle East as the first location that comes to mind when thinking about trans stories, our crew has found many thriving transgender subjects there. While in Canada, we filmed a short video (titled Nima) about an Iranian trans guy. In 2018, we plan on filming his full story in Iran. Our Iranian segment will investigate the impact that the Iranian government’s funding of gender reassignment surgeries has on trans lives there, and how Iranian culture is seemingly a paradox. Production plans are currently in the works to film in Egypt as well. You can watch our short video about Nima, an Iranian-Canadian trans guy here:
If you would like more information, feel free to contact us.