Kelet

Susani Mahadura : 2020

20-year-old Kelet is a Finnish Somali trans woman living in Helsinki who dreams of becoming a model in Vogue magazine. Trans people, especially those of colour, continue to face disproportionate amounts of violence and discrimination all over the world, including Finland. Trans women of colour are in a clear minority when it comes to public visibility and are especially vulnerable, falling victim to transphobic hate crimes considerably more often than their white or male counterparts. They go through everyday life at the intersection of many different oppressive structures, as they are subjected to transphobia, racism and misogyny in addition to other forms of discrimination and alienation. The threat of violence, the difficulty of finding work, the lack of representation and supportive communities means that the need for works that include positive role models is immense, as is the urgency for change of societal attitudes. Through the story of one individual's exceptional life, Kelet seeks to highlight a number of issues that are of huge importance worldwide in the current political climate: LGBT and especially trans rights, racism, beauty standards and gendered norms in society. Susani Mahadura's documentary was winner of the Audience Award when it premiered at DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival 2020.