Director Zhang Wei on the Challenges of Making China’s First Transgender-themed Film1 min read
Reading Time: < 1 minuteChinese entrepreneur-turned-director Zhang Wei is becoming known for naturalistic portrayals of the marginalised in China’s rapidly changing society, including “Factory Boss,” about a factory owner who desperately takes on low margin jobs from Western conglomerates to keep his business afloat, and “Destiny” (“Xi He”) the tale of an autistic boy’s struggle to get an education. “Boss” won the best actor prize for actor Yao Anlian at the 2014 Montreal World Film Festival.
Zhang has just announced that he will shoot what is being touted as the first feature film from his country focussing on the difficulties of transgender people there. Titled “Rib,” it will depict a teen born into a devoutly Christian family in the Zhejiang province whose mother becomes deeply destabilised when she discovers he wants to transition from male to female, according to a statement. In the ensuing conflict they overcome their differences and both face the rife prejudice against the local underground LGBT community.
Transgender issues are increasingly surfacing in China. The country’s first transgender job discrimination case was widely reported earlier this month. Being transgender is still classified as a mental illness in the country. But there are also reportedly indications of slowly shifting attitudes. These include the country’s most famous sexologist, Li Yinhe, announcing last year that her longtime husband was born female ““ and underlining that she considers herself heterosexual ““ and the stellar success of male-to-female transsexual dancer Jin Xing on mainstream TV.
via: Variety
Image Credit: DDA
