American Documentary

Overview

Brooklyn, N.Y. – February 15, 2024 – POV announced today the acquisition of Who I am Not, an astute feature documentary by first-time director Tünde Skovrán that reveals the diversity of experiences in the intersex community and the struggle to achieve body autonomy. While Who I am Not‘s focus is on intersex experiences, it is set within the broader context of challenging binary gender norms, and urges society to embrace the full spectrum of human identity. The documentary is produced by Andrei Zincã, and the executive producers are Marc Smolowitz, Oscars®/Emmy®/GLAAD Vanguard Award-winner Patricia Arquette, M.J. Peckham, Andrei Zincă, Tünde Skovrán, Jafta Mekgoe, DanielleTurkov and Maryse Rouillard.

A recipient of a Special Mention Award at this year’s 12th Annual Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA 2024) ceremony,Who I am Not will make its national broadcast premiere on PBS as part of POV's upcoming 37th season launching summer 2024. POV, the multi Emmy®, Peabody and Academy Award®-winner, is America’s longest running non-fiction television series.

What makes a male, and what makes a female in a world dominated by the gender binary? Where do we draw the line, and does it really matter? In Who I am Not actress-turned-director Tünde Skovrán explores the lives of two South Africans from contrasting backgrounds who share one particular natural variation in common. Namely, they are intersex - born male and female within one single body, experiencing various forms of trauma and self-doubt. Sharon-Rose Khumalo, a South African beauty queen, plunges into an identity crisis after finding out she is intersex. She needs the guidance of somebody just like her. The only person who will help is Dimakatso Sebidi, a male-presenting intersex activist who turns out to be her complete opposite. The documentary’s two parallel yet divergent stories offer an intimate look at the struggle of living in a binary world, when you are born in-between.

“My aim was to delve into the real, gritty, unscripted slices of life, no interviews, no narration, but narrative structure, character development, and some "poetry, written" with intimate, subtle cinematography,” said director Tünde Skovrán, Who I am Not. “We wanted the audience to really experience what it is to live in the skin of a person who is intersex.”

“Who I am Not is a tender and brave film that focuses on a seldom seen population,” said Patricia Arquette, executive producer, Who I am Not. “It’s intimate and we grow to have some understanding of their challenges and victories. It is humbling to see the bravery it takes to live their lives and touching to see those who love them through their journey.”

"As gender identity is under attack in the US, Who I am Not reinforces the fact that body autonomy is a global concern," said Chris White, executive producer, POV. "We hope director Tünde Skovrán’s sharp, compassionate story about two intersex people living in South Africa will serve as a springboard towards greater understanding of this community in America and beyond."

TheWho I am Not deal was negotiated by Chris White and Erika Dilday for American Documentary | POV and Catherine Leclef for Cat & Docs.

Who I am Not made its World Premiere at the 2023 Thessaloniki Documentary Festival where it won the International Competition Silver Alexander Award, followed by its North American premiere at SXSW2023. The documentary was an official selection at the following 2023 festivals: DOCNYC; CPH:Dox, Doc Barcelona (winner of the New Talent Award); Krakow International Film Festival (winner of the International Competition's Silver Horn, for High Artistic Value); the Pan African Film Festival in LA; San Francisco's Frameline (winner of the Audience Choice Award for “Best Documentary”), BFI Flare (a Centerpiece Presentation) and Queer Scope, Germany (winner of the 2023 Debut Film Award for “Best Queer Film of the Year”). Who I am Not was shortlisted by the European Film Academy for “Best Documentary,” and is currently on the SIMA Awards shortlist for “Best Social Impact Campaign.”

Who I am Not is a Double 4 Studios România production, in co-production with Filmoption International (Canada), and in association with South Africa. A recipient of grants from The Breathe Project, Docs Up Fund, and Frameline.

Credits

Director: Tünde Skovrán
Producer: Andrei Zincã
Executive Producers: Marc Smolowitz, Patricia Arquette, M.J. Peckham, Andrei Zincă, Tünde Skovrán, Jafta Mekgoe, DanielleTurkov, Maryse Rouillard
Writer: Tünde Skovrán
Editor: Marianna Rudas HSE
Cinematographers: Dániel Szandtner and Felix Striegel, Guillaume Beaudoin
Sound Design: Martin Cadieux- Rouillard
Original Score: Luc Sicard
Licensed Songs by Bongeziwe Mabandla, Desiree and Brian Bibb
Cast: Sharon-Rose Lehlohonolo Khumalo (She/Her), Dimakatso Sebidi (they/them), Khanyisile Ngobeni (she/her)
RT: 103 mins
Languages: English, Sepedi, Xhosa, Setswana, & IsiZulu
Countries: Romania, Canada
Year: 2023

About

About POV

Produced by American Documentary, POV is the longest-running independent documentary showcase on American television. Since 1988, POV has presented films on PBS that capture the full spectrum of the human experience, with a long commitment to centering women and people of color in front of, and behind, the camera. The series is known for introducing generations of viewers to groundbreaking works like Tongues Untied, American Promise, Minding The Gap and Not Going Quietly, and innovative filmmakers including Jonathan Demme, Laura Poitras and Nanfu Wang. In 2018, POV Shorts launched as one of the first PBS series dedicated to bold and timely short-form documentaries. All POV programs are available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

POV goes “beyond the broadcast” to bring powerful nonfiction storytelling to viewers wherever they are. Free educational resources accompany every film and a community network of thousands of partners nationwide work with POV to spark dialogue around today’s most pressing issues. POV continues to explore the future of documentary through innovative productions with partners such as The New York Times and The National Film Board of Canada and on platforms including Snapchat and Instagram.

POV films and projects have won 47 Emmy® Awards, 27 George Foster Peabody Awards, 15 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, three Academy Awards® and the first-ever George Polk Documentary Film Award. Learn more at pbs.org/pov and follow @povdocs on social media.

About American Documentary, Inc.

American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia organization dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets. AmDoc is a catalyst for public culture, developing collaborative strategic engagement activities around socially relevant content on television, online and in community settings. These activities are designed to trigger action, from dialogue and feedback to educational opportunities and community participation.

Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, the Open Society Foundations, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, Park Foundation, and Perspective Fund. Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the Chasing the Dream and Peril and Promise public media initiatives of The WNET Group, Chris and Nancy Plaut, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee and public television viewers. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including KQED San Francisco, WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.

About PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirm that PBS’s premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.