The Tehran-born queer artist and film-maker Navid Sinaki moved to the US with his family during the Iran-Iraq war. In a recent interview he mused: “What would love look like if I didn’t leave Iran? How would I evade death in a country that criminalises homosexuality but somehow still funds sex-reassignment surgery as a solution?” His unflinching and bold debut explores the chilling reality for his gay compatriots in Iran. As one character remarks: “Strange government. Could kill you for being gay, but will foot the bill if you agree to a sex change.”
Anjir and Zal, friends since childhood, are now covert lovers. Though Zal is married, the pair imagine a different future. If Zal’s wife was out of the way, Anjir could undergo surgery to become a trans woman, allowing them to live together without the constant threat of exposure.
