DOCUMENTARIES
DIE STANDING UP
I AM A WOMAN NOW
(MORIR DE PIE)
Dir: Michiel Van Erp, The Netherlands, 2012, HD Cam, 87 min Dutch, German, French, English with English subtitles
Dir: Jacaranda Correa, Mexico, 2011, video, 90 min Spanish with English subtitles
Back in 1956, people who wanted to undergo gender reassignment surgery could go to gynecologist Georges Burou in Casablanca without having to undergo any psychological assessment. Filmmaker Michiel van Erp asks some of these pioneers, all women in their 70s now, if the choice they made back then has changed their lives as they had hoped. How did the outside world react to this first generation of transgenders? Corinne, a former exotic dancer from Belgium, considers herself having been born in Casablanca, a sentiment echoed by her friend and fellow dancer from France, Bambi. Colette, an artist and cosmetologist from The Netherlands, discusses the impact of aging on her relationship with a younger man. Jean from Germany talks about her struggles when, following her operation, a female partner asked her to live as a man again. And April from England sees the surgery as having enabled her to put her difficult childhood behind her, offering her a new and happier life. The fascinating stories as told by the women are beautifully fleshed out with archival footage and photos, giving you an intimate insight into the lives of these inspiring women. (LD)
Don’t miss this inspiring story of Irina Layewska, a tireless fighter in the war for personal freedoms, who continues to work for progressive causes from her wheelchair despite a severe disability. It’s also the love story of Irina and her partner Nelida, whom she married when Irina was a man. Irina was born into a male body to Mexican communist militants and grew up idolizing Che Guevara, and spent much of her young life fighting in the Cuban solidarity movement. When her medical condition suddenly threatened her eyesight she became aware of an internal, emotional imbalance, and a need to explore her feminine side, and in the end made the choice to become a woman. Correa brilliantly moves between archival footage of Layewska’s past as a male activist and her present where she stills fights for the rights of the less powerful, whilst dealing with serious medical issues. (LD) Winner: Best Mexican Documentary, Guadalajara Film Festival Melbourne Premiere
“A conceptually striking and emotionally piercing documentary.” Robert Koehler, Variety magazine
BOOKING
4156
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
Sat 16 March 4.00pm ACMI STUDIO
4154 53
DATE
TIME
VENUE
Sat 16 March midday ACMI STUDIO