Tales of the Waria

剧情简介

Indonesia is the country with the biggest population of Muslims in the world. Even though the local transgenders, the "waria", seem to be tolerated by the public, they actually live on the fringe of society. Tales of the Waria tells the story of Tiara, Mami Ria, Suharni and Firnman (who have all refused to change sex as demanded by Muslim precepts), and their tragic struggle to assert their identity and their desire for love. Starting from the stories of the four waria characters, analyzing the complexity of their lives, filming in night clubs and beauty salons, American director Kathy Huang deals with topics which are often ignored by western filmmakers. She explores the relationship between Islam and transgenders, the socio-cultural situation of Indonesia, the issue of AIDS and the lives and struggles of those who have chosen to be neither men nor women. Biofilmography - Kathy Huang Kathy Huang studied Documentary Film Production at Stanford University. She began her career as a director with the short documentary Scribble's Creations (2004), inspired by her experience of teaching young people at risk, and set on the border between Mexico and the US. She directed Still Standing and Jaywalking in 2005, then Night Visions (2006) and Miss Chinatown U.S.A.(2007), which were shown at important international festivals like the Tribeca and Silverdocs and presented on American public television networks. Tales of the Waria is her first feature film.