Prior to the film, Queer Pioneers curator Renske Diks will talk to writer and activist Alejandra Ortiz.
Alejandra Ortiz is the author of the book De waarheid zal me bevrijden (The Truth Will Set Me Free) (2022), in which she talks about how she fled Mexico as a trans woman. In the Netherlands, she advocates for a better life for trans people, especially trans people of colour - with or without papers. For her work, she received the Winq Community Award 2023.
Crossing
Lia, a retired teacher from Georgia, wants to know where her once-departed niece Tekla has gone. The somewhat adrift teenager Achi, who lives next door with his family, has interesting information: Tekla left for Istanbul at the time; he even has an address. Together the two travel to the Turkish city, a beautiful but also very big city, which makes it by no means easy to find someone, especially if they don't want to be found themselves. Then they meet Evrim, a newly graduated lawyer and trans activist who advocates for the rights of transgender sex workers. She supports Lia and Achi's search wherever possible.
Swedish-Georgian director Levan Akin, best known here for And Then We Danced, empathically tells the story of two reluctant people who manage to overcome inner and ideological barriers. At the same time, it pays tribute to the city of Istanbul, which turns out to be as diverse as the people who live there.
This screening is part of the Queer & Pride film programme, and is co-organised by IQMF, the International Queer & migrant film festival.