Key Highlights :
The reality of trans life in Georgia is laid bare in Yana Ugrekhelidze’s heartbreaking documentary, which follows Alexander and his partner Marie as they look to escape. Intimate and heartbreaking, Yana Ugrekhelidze’s documentary opens with a frightening sight. Splashed across the screen are images of anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrations in Georgia, in which participants angrily wish death upon the queer community. For Alexander, a transgender man who struggles to survive in an environment stifled by intolerance, the most trivial, everyday interactions hold the threat of doxing and persecution. Forever lurking in the shadows, he can only be himself in the privacy of his own home.
Particularly striking is a scene where Alexander and his longtime partner, Marie, watch a talkshow in which a government official spouts hateful rhetoric in the name of so-called debate. Swinging back and forth between the TV screen and a frustrated Alexander, the camera pinpoints the absurdity of reducing the existence of actual people to talking points or a “problem” to be solved. The film counters such straw-man arguments by focusing on the material reality of life as a trans man in Georgia. Though lovingly supported by his aunt and girlfriend, Alexander faces social ostracism and financial precarity. Since his identity card still lists his gender as female, he is unable to find either a job or healthcare.
Thankfully, Alexander and Marie are not the only trans people in Georgia. Yana Ugrekhelidze’s film shines a light on the lives of Alexander’s friends, who despite facing challenges of their own, are determined to fight for their rights. In one poignant scene, Alexander’s friend Nino shares his story of being outed by his family, a traumatic experience that has forced him to flee Georgia and seek refuge in Europe.
Though Georgia may not be the most welcoming place for trans people, the film shows that there is strength in numbers. Alexander and Marie are determined to escape the hostile environment and find a place where they can be themselves without fear of persecution. Yana Ugrekhelidze’s documentary is an important contribution to the discussion on trans rights, and is an essential film for anyone who wants to learn more about the reality of trans life.