Céline Roustan
In many cultures, the washing of a dead person is a ritual performed as a final act to cleanse the body from impurities. So when the parents at the center of Ahmad Alyaseer’s short film Our Males and Females receive the body of their deceased daughter from abroad, following these traditions, she has to be washed before being shrouded. Customs dictate that this washing should be performed by those of the same gender, but for this father and mother their daughter is trans and they don’t know how to proceed. In Our Males and Females, Alyaseer takes a hard look at how far discrimination and rejection can go, even in the face of death.
“What would happen to a transgender person upon their death?”
Co-written with his sister, Rana Alyaseer, the director shared with us that the inspiration for their narrative originated from a meeting with an Arab woman named Bousi. During this encounter, Bousi candidly shared her personal experiences as a trans woman, with Alyaseer explaining that she “spent her entire life seeking approval and acceptance from her family, friends and wider community”. Her vulnerability in the face of systemic oppression and discrimination stayed with the pair and prompted them to reflect on the question, “What would happen to a transgender person upon their death? Would the discrimination and non-acceptance still prevail?” A line of thought that would prove pivotal in the development of their story.
Discrimination and prejudice are experienced by people everywhere in the world, but the trans community is one that undeniably faces infuriating injustices and acts of violence. With shrouding a mandatory religious practice, it is bound by binary concepts: women wash women and men wash men, and cannot be skipped. Throughout the 11-minute duration of Our Males and Females we witness the growing desperation of the parents, not knowing what to do, as their religion isn’t prepared for this situation. With no one willing to perform this necessary ritual, they battle this cultural red tape, while still struggling to accept their daughter’s gender expression.
“The entire film was created with a passionate crew who worked on it for free because we couldn’t secure any funds or grants due to its controversial topic” – Alyaseer discussing the production.
According to tradition, the burial has to happen quickly, so the film instantly has an inherent ticking clock element, enhancing the tension manifested by the parents’ despair. The short suffocates us in this anxiety, but the story takes a turn at its climax, as their desperation takes them to different places. The mother finally takes steps towards accepting her child, while the father resorts to a horrifying extreme to avoid any kind of scandal and ensure the burial happens. Throughout Our Males and Females Alyaseer captures an incredible degree of violence and disrespect by leaving his protagonist vulnerable and helpless, unable to stand up for herself in this situation.
A portion of the film’s success can be attributed to the powerful performances of both Kamel El Basha and Shafiqa Al Tal. portraying the parents they expertly convey the nuanced and subtle mix of emotions they must be feeling, including a layer of grief. The film’s powerful impact is particularly evident in its last scene, where both reckon with their actions and choices, past and present.
Our Males and Females had its World Premiere at the 2023 edition of Slamdance ahead of a successful festival run with notable stops at Clermont-Ferrand, Regard and the Palm Springs ShortFest. Alyaseer’s short also won the ‘Best Narrative Short’ Award at Nashville, making it eligible for submissions to the Oscars. The director is now working on two feature films and a new short.