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Synopsis
When you see yourself, who do you see?
Soon after New York state passed a 2015 law that health insurance should cover transgender-related care and services, director Tania Cypriano and producer Michelle Hayashi began bringing their cameras behind the scenes at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital, where this remarkable documentary captures the emotional and physical journey of surgical transitioning. Lending equal narrative weight to the experiences of the center’s groundbreaking surgeon Dr. Jess Ting and those of his diverse group of patients, BORN TO BE perfectly balances compassionate personal storytelling and fly-on-the-wall vérité. It’s a film of astonishing access—most importantly into the lives, joys, and fears of the people at its center.
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Director
Director
Producers
Producers
Editors
Editors
Cinematography
Cinematography
Executive Producers
Exec. Producers
Composer
Composer
Sound
Sound
Studios
Country
Language
Alternative Title
Premiere
28 Sep 2019
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USA
New York Film Festival
Digital
18 Nov 2020
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USA
USA
28 Sep 2019
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Premiere
New York Film Festival
More
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Did you know today is ‘International Transgender Day of Visibility’?
Neither did I! But apparently the collective unconscious spoke to me and created an urge to watch a documentary on a plastic surgeon focused on transition-related operations.
It is amazing to me how quickly the transgender community have emerged from the shadows to finally start gaining acceptance in our world. Seven years ago I worked with someone who in hindsight I’m sure was transgendered but at the time was just an uncomfortable mystery to me. Bigotry wasn’t the issue...here was someone who looked like a feminine boy with an ambiguous name and I honestly didn’t know if they were a ‘tomboy’ or an actual boy. I desperately wanted to get…
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Whilst I can't speak on behalf of people this is a very cis-perspective type doco on something 'niche' thats really important atm- transgender healthcare. Fundraising efforts for gender affirmation surgeries are constantly being shared on my social feeds and trans people should not have to sacrifice so much for surgery they need. I do think that for the most part this is a carefully made, emotional and sincere documentary showing the importance of gender affirmative surgeries and a celebration of the journey. It also carefully notes that transition is not only surgical but can just mean hormonal treatment or nothing but support. However there's a plot-line that's clumsy and should have had a content warning for as Tania Cypriano attempts…
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A gorgeous but quietly heartbreaking doco about a doctor who works with transgender patients. Seeing their joy at their new bodies is delightful. Watching one woman complete her transition but still attempt suicide because society is a broken disaster is utterly devastating. Shows how the surgical system is overloaded, the struggles the doctor faces but wisely keeps the focus on the trans patients whose incredible bravery is inspiring and tearjerking.
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very informative and insightful on the field of transgender medicine and surgery. it didn’t sugarcoat, but showed both the highs and lows of transgender medicine, and what patients often have to go through. it’s mind blowing how complex these surgeries are, and how they are still inventing new ways to do them today. i think this documentary had the perfect balance of sharing Dr. Ting’s unlikely journey into transgender medicine, the patients personal journies to complete their transitions, and the journey of how far this particular medical field has come. it’s amazing that these advancements are being made, and transgender care is much more accessible now, although there’s still much more progress to be made. i admire these doctors for the…
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Had the incredible opportunity to see this and participate in a Q&A with jess ting, tania cypriano and laura kate dale (not involved in the doc just there because she's badass) and it was genuinely one of my favourite cinema experiences of all time. I'll link the recording of the Q&A here once it's uploaded probably.
The doc itself isn't perfect imo, I think the scene-to-scene pacing is a little off, and it focuses more on ting than on the patients themselves which seems like an odd choice, despite how lovely and interesting he is individually. You can occasionally feel that this was directed by a cis person who doesn't necessarily have the same connection to the events as the…
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A really insightful documentary around the experiences of transgender patients who undertake surgical transitioning as well as from the lead doctor performing surgery on these patients. It shows a nice balance of perspectives from the experiences of patients. It also goes out of its way to show how damaging a lot of the legal barriers and limited capacity actually is for all patients in need of the surgery. The presentation style is basic and nothing special on a technical level, but it works for the objective insight into the process that it is trying to be.
2020.miff.com.au/film/born-to-be/
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Surgical stuff makes me squeamish, so this was a bit hard for me to watch. But it's so emotional and interesting, and I'm astounded by the generosity of these people who let their journeys be captured on film.
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Born to Be follows the work of Dr. Jess Ting (he/him) at the groundbreaking Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery. There, for the first time ever in New York City, transgender and gender non-conforming people have access to quality transition-related care. With extraordinary access, this remarkable documentary offers an intimate look at how one doctor’s work impacts the lives of his patients as well as how his journey from renowned plastic surgeon to pioneering gender-affirming specialist has led to his own transformation.
Dr. Ting's patients are as diverse as the city itself. Cashmere (she/her), decades sober and with a zest for life, offers an invaluable queer history lesson as she looks back on the tumultuous existence she once…
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how do i make every asshole who thinks that trans surgeries are “cosmetic” rather than medically necessary watch this
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An emotionally moving film, filled with tension. At the Q&A, everyone wanted to call Dr Ting a hero... but for me, the real stars were Cashmere and Mahogany and I hope this isn’t the last we hear from them.
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As important as documentaries get, if only there were more people like the doctors in it.
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MIFF 2020 Film #20
Transgender people are heroes. Regardless of what stage of transition they are in, the territory they traverse emotionally, psychologically and physically every single day is positively Herculean.
The film itself is such a beautiful illustration of this, a fly-on-the-wall look at the brave people awaiting, undergoing or recovering from gender affirmation surgery at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital's recently established unit for such care and procedures, and at Dr. Jess Ting, the brilliant, quirky surgeon who spearheads the unit. Aside from his innovations in the field, Dr. Ting also serves as a gentle avatar for cis audiences perhaps unfamiliar with the transgender community's lives and struggles, guiding us through his awakening and subsequent affection for his…
