WHO I AM NOT

Romania, Canada | 2023 | 105 min

An estimated 150 million people worldwide allegedly have sexual characteristics that do not fit into the typical notions of a male or female body, thus identifying them as intersex individuals. Who I Am Not departs from here, focuses its gaze onto South Africa, leaves the generic datum behind and delves into the specificity of the lives of Sharon-Rose Khumalo and Dimakatso Sebidi, two intersex people with profoundly different appearance and aspirations. Concerns, obstacles and, above all, desires emerge through sometimes painful and uncomfortable dialogues, but more often in the name of a refreshing mutual understanding with those around them. How to assert your identity when saying “I am” is difficult in a body that does not correspond to what you feel inside? To this question, there are as many answers as there are people who experience this discrepancy in person. With this awareness, the documentary does not attempt theorising of any kind but weaves together two personal portraits and offers an illuminating observation of identity and its multiple manifestations. (t.p.)