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 | RITES OF PASSAGE | US Premiere |
synopsis "Rites of Passage" follows one week in the life of Maya Jafer (formerly Mohammed Ghulam Jafer Hussein), a South Asian Muslim from Chennai, India, as she makes her gender transformation from male to female. The film documents her journey from Los Angeles (her currently place of residence) to Bangkok, Thailand, following her up to the final moments leading towards her surgery. Capturing Maya's story with frankness and realism, the film brings the viewer into the mind of this brilliant, yet conflicted character. Has Maya made the right decision to become a woman? Will the surgery be successful? Will Allah reward or punish her for being who she truly is? Maya must find ways of reconciling her tradition with her true identity. But will she succeed?
director Jeff Roy is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, musician, and ethnomusicologist with strong ties to India, where he visits on a yearly basis to conduct fieldwork. Jeff is currently in post-production for the feature-length version of "Rites of Passage," entitled "Mohammed to Maya." "Rites of Passage" is Jeff's first film. Filmography
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