Theater: Adam, Eva und ich. Biographien intersexueller Menschen

What would your life be like if you had been born between the sexes? Into a world where your identity is a rebellion against what seems self-evident - or a well-kept secret. "Adam, Eva und Ich" is a biographical theater evening between changing rooms and collective showers, developed by Frl. Wunder AG for the Freie Theater Hannover.

The performers talk about their experiences with doctors, gender assignment and hormones. They talk about identity crises, lust for life and being different, they speak plainly to those who never wanted to listen and stage childhood memories and their hopes for a future. The play raises the question of how our society deals with those who do not fit into the grid. Together we go diving, looking for answers in the in-between and let the norm roll off our bodies in the shower.

By: Frl. Wunder AG

World Premier: Germany 2012, Freies Theater Hannover

Org. Speech: German

Length: 60 Min.

Information: https://fraeuleinwunderag.net/de/adam-eva-und-ich/

Film: Shalem – First Film

The fear that is rooted in every mother, the terror that someone will hurt her son, slowly creeps into the dreams of a young mother, just before the planned circumcision of her first son, and it's a nightmare that she doesn't know if she will ever wake up from...

The film works with horror elements and is recommended for ages 18 and up.

Director: Sha Silberman

Published: Israel, 12.12.2019

without Speech

Length: 3,5 Min.

Whole Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HH6G4pq-2o

Film: Hermes und Aphrodite

"Hermes & Aphrodite" tells the story of the child Sascha, who everyone thinks is a girl until puberty. Sasha confides in his mother. Together, the family visits a doctor, who examines the child and "diagnoses" an intermediate gender. He pleads for a medical measure which should make Sascha physically become a woman. The parents are ignorant, but wish to have as "normal" a life as possible with Sascha. Completely misunderstood, Sascha gives expression to his anger and fear and, shocked, runs away from the parents, turning his back on the medical plans. In a fabulous forest, Sascha regains consciousness and is captivated by a shaman who recounts the saga of Hermaphroditos from Greek mythology. The film shows that gender diversity is nothing unusual and occurs in humans as well as in animals and plants.

The film was nominated for the 2014 Human Rights Film Award.

Director: Gregor Zootsky

Production: Cultural Film Promotion Bremen

Published: Frankreich 2010

Org. Speech: without speech

Length: 10 Min.

Weitere Informationen: http://www.filmbuero-bremen.de/hermes-und-aphrodite/

Ganzer Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-dD-i9skg8

Film: No Box For Me. An Intersex Story

M and Deborah, like an estimated 1.7 per cent of people, were born intersex - with gender characteristics that differ from the binary notions of male or female, often referred to as hermaphrodite. Sometimes these deviant characteristics are not yet apparent at birth, and other variants only become visible during puberty. Like many others, M and Deborah were forced to undergo unnecessary medical operations as children to "normalise" their bodies - before they could understand what was going on.

The film reflects on the way intersex people try to re-appropriate their bodies and construct their identities.

Director: Floriane Devigne

France 2018

Original Language: French

58 Min.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ0mW1OQaK4

Full film (fee required): https://vimeo.com/ondemand/noboxforme

Theatre Play: Der goldene Schnitt

Ibrahim and Judith are preparing the big celebration for their son’s circumcision: Relatives, friends and colleagues are invited and gather for the day when the boy becomes a man. At the party in the studio of the theatre, everything is garish and colourful, the music is playing - far too loud. But the more the party drifts towards its climax, the greater the concerns become - to cut or not to cut?

"The Golden Section" leads exemplarily into the middle of a conflict between different cultures, traditions and religions. For Schauspiel Dortmund, Tuğsal Moğul - author, director, actor and consultant anaesthetist - has created an evening of theatre about the most controversial piece of (male) skin. Moğul, whose play “Die deutsche Ayşe” won the audience award in Dortmund during the NRW-Theatertreffen 2014, directed the play for the first time at Schauspiel Dortmund.

Director: Tuğsal Moğul

World Premiere: 16. April 2016, Theater Dortmund (Studio)

Original Language: German

90 Min.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sgQo38IT14

Article: https://hpd.de/artikel/goldene-schnitt-13022

Film: In Search

A Journey to Womanhood ...

Beryl thought as a young girl growing up in a rural village in Kenya that all women in the world are "circumcised" by having to endure "Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting" (FGM/C). Therefore, she also endured this initiation ritual - she knew nothing about the consequences of FGM/C.

Many years later, she learns that there is a new surgical method that promises to give back what was lost back then. In her autobiographical documentary "In Search..." she explores the emotional dilemma by talking to other women who have had similar experiences.

Beryl is trying to figure out if she should undergo this surgery - a second journey into the unknown. "Will I make a terrible mistake again?", or "Am I ready to face my trauma?" are the questions that guide this authentic and emotional search into the very core of a young woman.

Directors: Beryl Magoko, Jule Katinka Kramer

Germany 2018

Original Languages: English, German, Swahili, Kikuria