Capturing moments of a transgender's life

[Shana A]

Capturing moments of a transgender's life
Staff Reporter

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3516540.ece

In the first frame of the documentary 'Her name is Sowmiya,' Sowmiya is looking confidently into the future. A black and white pencil sketch of hers slowly fades to colour to reveal the lines on her face, the colour of her t-shirt, and heaviness in her eyes. We then hear her laugh, see her clutch on dearly to her vibrant umbrella, and we wonder what happened to her.

Kalki Subramaniam, a transgender rights activist, who runs the NGO, 'Sahodari,' has in this short movie, juxtaposed amateur webcam videos, phone videos, and footage shot on a handycam of a happy Sowmiya, who allegedly committed suicide in 2010 at the age of 26. This was one of the two documentaries screened by Sahodari Foundation along with Chennai Rainbow Coalition as part of the LGBT pride month celebrations. The other movie documents Kalki's only meeting with Anil Sadanandan, the gay rights activist who was allegedly killed in May in Kerala.

"Sowmiya had been a little depressed for sometime, and the guy she loved had stopped talking to her," observed Kalki.

[Shana A]

To friends, with love
Akila Kannadasan

http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article3576493.ece

The photo was taken on the streets of Saidapet, Chennai. Says Kalki Subramaniam, a transgender rights activist, "I was walking down the road when she cycled by and said, 'Come akka, let's ride together'. She wouldn't leave until I got on. I can never forget that day. I can't believe she's no more."

Kalki was shooting for her film Narthagi in December 2010 when the call came. "I heard Sowmiya hanged herself at home." But why did she do it? The question kept repeating itself in Kalki's mind as she wept alone in her room that night.

Two years later, Kalki decided to make a documentary film in memory of Sowmiya. Called Aval Peyar Sowmiya (Her Name is Sowmiya), it was screened recently in Chennai. For the movie, Kalki has put together amateur videos and photographs of Sowmiya taken during the many happy moments they shared.