Who I Am
SHORT DOCUMENTARY
Director and Producer: Naomi Ball
Producers: David Elliot-Jones and Cadance Bell
Who I Am is a 23 minute documentary following a transgender teen who is also Autistic.
Research shows that people who are neurodivergent are more likely to be trans or gender diverse. After being bullied at school, Charlie (pronouns: he/they) finally comes out to his mum, setting him on a path of navigating the first steps of his transition - the social transition. Over three years we watch them come out to family, navigate the pandemic, make new friends, find inclusive healthcare, and ultimately settle into their identity with the new name Aether. The story is told through observational moments, intimate interviews, and Aether’s own original animated characters, The Fallens, coming to life.
Who I Am premiered at Doc Edge in June 2022, received a special mention in the shorts competition at Antenna Film Festival, and will be in competition at Uppsala Short Film Festival and Brisbane International Film Festival, and screening at Melbourne Queer Film Festival.
Who I Am is a recipient of the 2020 Doc Edge Rei Foundation Film Fund, with principal production funds from Screen Australia and support from VicScreen. It also received support from Pride Foundation Australia, JessByte Foundation, Documentary Australia Foundation, Amaze, The Royal Children's Hospital Gender Service, Different Journeys, Rainbow Village Darebin and Mable. A special thanks is extended to all our Chuffed and Documentary Australia Foundation donors.
Production Company: Walking Fish Productions
Director and Producer: Naomi Ball
Producers: David Elliot-Jones and Cadance Bell
Cinematographers: Charles Alexander, Daniel Gallagher, Sky Davies, Gianna Mazzeo, Han Palmer, Flick Smith
Editor: Greta Robenstone
Animator: Juliet Rowe
Character Creator: Aether
Composer: Jacob Richards
Sound Mixer and Online Editor: Chris Mylrea
Graphics: Play on Play Studio
Colour Grade: Cybertrix Media
Featuring music by: HANDSOME and MxMars
Giving a voice to trans and neurodivergent youth
In Australia 22.5% of trans and gender diverse youth have an autism diagnosis. This can mean they face additional barriers to mental health and medical care, and that’s a big concern given 72% of trans youth have experienced depression and/or anxiety and 50–70% of autistic people experience mental health conditions.
Who I Am aims to give a voice to trans and autistic youth and build understanding of their experience among young people, health professionals, educators, and parents. In doing so we offer an alternative to fear-driven narratives that undermine their rights and those of all trans people. It’s our hope that this film will be a tool to galvanise community support, encourage access to much-needed mental health and medical care, and highlight the need for inclusive services for the vulnerable youth at this intersection. as well as offering a stimulus for discussion and education. Beyond the community’s need, this film has broader relevance through its themes of intersectionality and inclusion.
Alongside the film, we are developing Teaching and Learning Guides for use in schools. The film is already available to schools throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand and the Pacific via the Doc Edge Schools virtual classroom and we are looking for avenues to do the same in Australia in 2023. We also have plans to develop further resources that will support the wonderful work of Amaze (autism support organisation) and The Royal Children’s Hospital Gender Service.