What to watch

Ocean (France TV Slash)
Unfortunately, it’s only available in French on France.TV, but if you do understand French, I definitely recommend.

I randomly saw an Instagram post about season 2, and that’s how I discovered there was an intimate show about Ocean. Ocean is a French comedian, a trans-man previously famous for his stand-up show “la lesbienne invisible” (the invisible lesbian).
The first season follows him as he begins his FtM transition, including the first hormone shot, the coming-out – one private and one public, his family and friends’ adjustment and misgendering mistakes… and all the questioning and restructuring he needs to go through becoming a white (heterosexual?) male as a radical feminist. I’m barely exaggerating saying it felt like becoming the enemy. His friends also pointed out to him he now had a pattern of dating young women. All this triggered a will to date a larger spectrum of people (shown more in season 2), non-binary people, maybe men, and a clear annoyance of looking too much like a boring heterosexual couple with one of his partners. Who he sleeps with is not what is interesting here, the reflection on it is.

Season 2 starts two years after the end of season 1, and Ocean now benefits from “passing” (which means he is perceived as a cisgender man). Aware of his privilege, he wanted to share the screen time with other people of diverse backgrounds, journeys and identities. He goes to meet them and let them tell their stories, educative for all of us. Each episode is around a theme, like racism, fatphobia, intersex, disability and more.
I watched the season 1 in one sitting and watched the season 2 the next day. I think it’s a great introduction to transgender issues. My only criticism would be that I feel you maybe have to already be a little educated on the subject to understand everything as many terms are thrown around and may be confusing to some who don’t know them.

https://fb.watch/75iUkxurcN/

 

Trial by Fire (HULU)

It’s an Edward Zwick movie so you already know two things: 1) it’s going to be quality, 2) you’ll cry at some point. It is based on the real story of Cameron Todd Willingham who was accused and then convicted of killing his 3 toddler daughters, killed in a fire that destroyed the family’s home. Everything is obviously horrible and tragic, but I won’t say more to not spoil the movie if you are not familiar with the case.

Life Overtakes Me (NETFLIX)

This 39-minute film is on Resignation Syndrome, an illness that put you in a coma-like state and that hundreds of refugee children are suffering from in Sweden, and that is now developing in other countries (there are known cases in Australia refugee detention centers). I saw the trailer and I had SO MANY questions. Why does this happen, how does it start, what is it really like for the child and the family, how long can it last, how does it stop? It seemed both insane and fascinating, and luckily the film answered all my questions. Resignation Syndrome is provoked by extreme trauma (they are refugees, friendly reminder that refugees are not immigrating for pleasure, they are fleeing a terrible and life-threatening situation), and an uncertain resident status. I have zero problem imagining how terrifying and stressful it must be to face deportation and being sent back to the horrors you escaped (I mean I am stressed about my own immigration status when the worst that can happen to me is to be send back to a country with healthcare), but it seems incredible to be completely unresponsive for months as a result! The human body and brain will never stop surprising me! Check out this film if you’re curious about this too!