Call Me Marianna by Karolina Bielawska (Poland, 2015, 74 min)

After spending the first 40 years of her life as a son, husband and father, the Polish Marianna has been reborn as a woman. Finally making this transition to womanhood involved dragging her parents, who didn’t accept her choice, before the court. Marianna’s children also refuse to visit her, despite repeated attempts at reconciliation. With the exception of a couple of female friends and a handful of colleagues, Marianna lives a solitary life in a society that’s far from accepting of transgender people. In spite of it all, this brave woman struggles on towards the final gender reassignment operation, which she hopes will open the way to real happiness – but then fate intervenes.

This intimate debut film is an empathetic portrait of a protagonist who finally chooses to live for herself, braving all the dreadful consequences this choice brings. Marianna’s exceptional story is told through recordings of everyday events, major and minor, and making use of archive footage, intercut with sequences in which Marianna and two actors read through the script of her life. These intelligent scenes answer the natural but complex questions the viewer may have. What’s the real price Marianna has to pay to finally be herself?

Watch the trailer.

After the film, Agnes Geneva will perform.

ABOUT WOW.DOC

In this brand new series of documentary showings, curated by filmmaker and Artist in Residence Kristina Daurova, we look at stories of extraordinary people and discover how the everyday may be very special at the same time. Hosted by WOW Amsterdam, the creative hotspot that houses fifty strange characters from the Amsterdam art academies.

Go to Facebook and let us know you’re coming. Free entry, cash bar. Takes place in WOW’s Green Gallery. Grab a bite to eat in our restaurant before the screening. Starts 8.15pm due to Remembrance Day.

We thank Film Republic for making this film available.