Paradise Bent...Boys Will be Girls in Samoa

Year of completion
1999
Content type
Documentary
Format
Short
Duration
52 minutes
Production Status
Completed

Synopsis

When it comes to gender there is a truly Samoan way of seeing the world. PARADISE BENT tells the story of the Samoan fa'afafines: boys who are raised as girls and play an important domestic role in Samoan culture. The anthropological spotlight has shone on Samoa many times this century, but there has been no mention of fa'afafines - is it possible the anthropologists just didn't notice them? According to the Samoans, fa'afafines have a long history in their culture. The traditional role of the fa'afafines is now under threat as the western drag scene filters into Samoa. The older fa'afafines are not impressed. Through our main character, Cindy, we see the complexities of life facing the modern day fa'afafine in paradise.
Completion Year
1999
Format
Short
Production Status
Completed