45 mins || Bengali || India || 2015 || Directed by Sourabh Kanti Dutta, Farha Khatun, Satarupa Santra
A born intersex and raised by poor, illiterate, and confused parents as a female child, Bandana went on to become one of the finest strikers in Indian woman’ s football in her/his short career. After failing a sex test, however, the media accused her/him of cheating. Officials forgot her/him soon. Friends disappeared. Her/his career was over.
Bandana decided to undergo Sex Re-assignment Surgery (SRS) and became a male, Bonnie. After his family disowned him and he left home, he moved to a small town, and eventually fell in love and got married. Social backlash and professional conflicts repeatedly forced Bonnie and his wife to relocate and eventually to go into hiding. It was there, in Darjeeling, that the filmmakers were able to find him and learn his side of the story.
Poshida
29 mins || Language || Pakistan || 2016 || Directed by Faizan Fiaz
Travelling across the country, Poshida delves into the history and modern culture of LGBT Pakistan, providing a deep insight into this hidden world. The film examines sexuality and gender identities in south Asia and discusses colonialism, religion, class, and the influence of US foreign policy. It also spotlights the role of the Pakistani media in the case of the Lahori serial killer of 2014 and human rights abuses of transgender men and women for entertainment.
Escaping Agra
23 mins || English || India, USA || 2016 || Directed by Pallavi Somusetty
After being held against their will in India when their gender and sexual orientation is discovered, Naveen Bhat battles their parents in court and pieces their life back together. (Naveen’s pronouns are they/them).
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