List of Persian/Iranian Events for 2008-06-23

Be Like Others by Tanaz Eshaghian

Be Like Others is a provocative look at a generation of young Iranian men choosing to undergo sex change surgery. Under Iran’s current fundamentalist rule, a homosexual may be harassed, arrested and punished with the most extreme measures possible. Yet changing your gender is not only legal, it’s perfectly acceptable under Islamic law. So, to avoid constant persecution and possible death, a high percentage of the nation’s next-generation gay population opt to willingly sign up for costly, traumatic sexual-reassignment operations. For some, these state-sanctioned surgeries are excruciating ordeals that ultimately aren’t worth the agony; for others, the medical procedure is the first step toward complete, personal liberation.
The winner of a special jury prize at this year's Berlin Film Festival and a Sundance favorite, Tanaz Eshagian's extraordinary chronicle of Iran's transsexual community follows several patients who've either gone through the process or are just beginning their journey to a new life.
Be Like Others
Iran, 2008, 74min
Monday, June 23, 7:00 PM, Victoria Theatre in the Mission of SF