{"id":6248,"date":"2022-09-12T21:31:43","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T20:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/globalindianstories.com\/?p=6248"},"modified":"2023-07-12T08:52:57","modified_gmt":"2023-07-12T07:52:57","slug":"iranian-feature-another-self-gets-two-nominations-at-wales-film-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalindianstories.org\/index.php\/2022\/09\/12\/iranian-feature-another-self-gets-two-nominations-at-wales-film-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Iranian feature “The Another Self” gets two nominations at Wales Film Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

Passionate filmmaker Amir Tavakoli tackles a social topic in Iran<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The challenges faced by transgender communities across the world are similar, but can get extreme in conservative patriarchal societies like Iran and India. A film that has been doing the festival rounds and bravely brings out the nuances of this bold subject in Iran is a feature called The\u00a0<\/em>Another Self<\/i>, directed by Iranian director Amir Tavakoli.<\/p>\n

The film will be screened at the upcoming Wales International Film Festival (September 15 -17) where it boasts of being nominated in the Best Film and Best Direction categories.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since June 2021, the film has been very well received in ten film festivals, including KASHISH, one of the largest LGBTQ+ film festivals globally, and has been nominated in three. Amir has been nominated in six festivals for his direction and has won two awards. The film has not been screened publicly in Iran yet. Amir says that the smaller circles that screened the film in Iran were left in tears by the end of the film.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

TRANSGENDER LIVES IN IRAN\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

\u201c<\/span>I tried to address the reasons for the migration and suicide of trans people in Iran, their lifestyle, the pressure they face from the Iranian society and the laws that the government has set for them,\u201d says Amir.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>They have permission to change their gender, but the people\u2019s views and the inability of society to accept them pushes them towards depression and loneliness. The isolation comes from fighting societal conditioning. There is no sense of psychological security, and people are forced to live in solitude because of the lack of understanding and support from the societies they live in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"The\u00a0<\/em>Another Self<\/i>\u00a0is about Kaveh – aka Kimia, born in an Iranian traditional family who wants to change his gender. He obtains all the legal permits from the government, but because of his father\u2019s refusal to allow him to go through the sex change surgery, is forced to leave his father\u2019s house. He lives the life he likes, in a woman\u2019s avatar. Iranian law demands the father to give permission for sex change, and Kaveh\u2019s father refuses to let go of a son.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kaveh wears women’s clothes, calls himself Kimia and, with the permission of the government and the support of the elder brother, lives as a female. We see Kimia\u2019s female life and the tremendous emotional turmoil that she goes through as the film gets realistic and intense. The director expertly takes us through the harsh circumstances and feelings of the protagonist, as she commits to the family, while being rejected from home when she returns after twelve long years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>That she likes to be independent, that she hides her femininity from her family, and her boyishness in her home, brings out the isolation and dilemma she faces. In Iran, the transgender community thinks that the government is bothering them, but in reality, the traditional views and conservative cultural norms are what the community is fighting against,\u201d says Amir.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amir feels that it is his responsibility as a director to use the medium of films to address issues of social justice and discuss the difficult topics that nobody wants to touch. \u201cMy goal as a filmmaker is to look at the problems of society, and I decided to address the silent section of my society,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span> <\/span>DEMYSTIFYING IRANIAN LAWS<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

Transgender is a challenging subject, and despite the image that the world has of the Iranian government\u2019s reaction to it, the rules have been made simple. It is a lengthy procedure, but at the end it gives the people the gender identity of their choice, to prevent them from regret, depression, and suicide. The government also renders financial support for gender change surgical procedures, but the father\u2019s permission is required.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Amir, the lack of awareness and empathy is really the bigger problem and needs to be addressed.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>My goal was to generate awareness and help with the cultural nuances that can hurt a human being and destroy a family,\u201d he explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

The film had to be edited four times because of government censorship, which left Amir disappointed with the beginning and a feature that is 30 minutes short. \u201cBut I am glad that you liked the beginning, along with critics and film lovers across the globe,\u201d smiles Amir.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I tried to follow all the laws in my country and show the reality. At first, I had the approval of the government, and I made the film legally. As a filmmaker, I wanted to show the real life of these people, create real situations and convey the feeling to the audience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\r\n