This documentary played at Montreal’s Massimadi festival in February 2019. Massimadi often shows films that touch on trans issues, but Sidney & Friends is the only submission thus far to explore the topic of intersex people. While the participants’ accounts can be heavy, the film succeeds in giving hope and showing Sidney’s resilience and that of the chosen family he finds in his friends.

This documentary contributes to breaking taboos around both trans and intersex issues. While the film tells the story of people living in Kenya, the subjects under discussion are considered taboo all over the world. Trans and intersex people, regardless of where they live, are more likely to be victims of various forms of violence, whether from those around them, from society or from institutions. We hope that this film will help the world to see the humanity of these individuals and to better understand their identities.

Laurent Maurice Lafontant
Massimadi Foundation President