Born to Be

Directed by Tania Cypriano

Year: 2019

Country: U.S.

Language: English

BORN TO BE follows the work of Dr. Jess Ting (he/him) at the groundbreaking Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery. There, for the first time ever in New York City, transgender and gender non-binary people have access to quality gender-affirming care. With extraordinary access, this remarkable documentary offers an intimate look at how one doctor’s work impacts the lives of his patients as well as how his journey from renowned plastic surgeon to pioneering gender-affirming specialist has led to his own transformation.

Dr. Ting's patients are as diverse as the city itself. Cashmere (she/her), decades sober and with a zest for life, offers an invaluable queer history lesson as she looks back on the tumultuous existence she once led on the streets of New York. Jordan (they/them) is non-binary and, with their nurturing partner by their side, finally has the support they need to take the next step in their transition. The loquacious Garnet (she/her) moved to New York City to transition and has the full support of her family, but still struggles with depression. Shawn (he/him) signed up for a new type of gender-affirming surgery pioneered by Dr. Ting with the help of brave patients like him. And heart- and scene-stealer Mahogany (she/her) was once a successful male model, but sacrificed her career to begin life as the woman she is. Through their stories, their joys and hardships, the film addresses the nuances and complexities of gender, exploring key issues around the human right to define gender for oneself.

Watch a virtual discussion with director Tania Cypriano and subjects Mahogany, Jordan, and Dr. Jess Ting moderated by Jude Dry of Indiewire and hosted by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation!

Reviews

Critic's Pick!

- The New York Times

"A brave, revelatory, and beautifully realized film, it is easily one of the year’s best and most important documentaries."

- Godfrey Cheshire, RogerEbert.com

"Deeply moving and humane. Born to Be distinguishes itself with its sensitive, humane portrait of the dedicated Dr. Ting, his hard-working staff (some of whom are transgender themselves), and his diverse patients who yearn merely to live in a body that reflects their inner identity."

- Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

"Heartbreaking, uplifting... a must-see."

- Norman Gidney, Film Threat

"A lively and moving documentary about the first major American hospital center for transgender surgery shows us what the future will look like. Moving and fascinatingly forward-looking. What the Mount Sinai center represents is a paradigm shift, if not a revolution."

- Owen Gleiberman, Variety

"Intimate and highly compelling... poignant and finely tuned. Tania Cypriano treats her tireless subject with utmost sensitivity. With its cinematic eye, compelling subjects, and elegant awareness of the issues, Born to Be was conceived just in time."

- Jude Dry, Indiewire

"Enlightening. The film has an exuberantly infectious life to it… We’re watching history be made with a sympathetic and respectful eye to everything that entails."

- Jared Mobarak, The Film Stage

Awards

Best Documentary Feature – Nashville Film Festival
Official Selection – New York Film Festival, Hamptons Film Festival, Palm Springs Film Festival

Cast

Leiomy Maldonado
Garnet Rubio
Jess Ting
Mahogany Phillips
Shawn Frederick Sr.
Cashmere

Mahogany (she/her) and Dr. Jess Ting (he/him) in a scene from Born to Be, courtesy Kino Lorber

Jordan (they/them) and Dr. Jess Ting (he/him) in a scene from Born to Be, courtesy Kino Lorber

Leiomy Maldonado (she/her) in a scene from Born to Be, courtesy Kino Lorber

Garnet Rubio (she/her) in a scene from Born to Be, courtesy Kino Lorber

Dr. Jess Ting (he/him) in a scene from Born to Be, courtesy Kino Lorber

A scene from Born to Be, courtesy Kino Lorber

Director Tania Cypriano (she/her) on the set of Born to Be, courtesy Kino Lorber

Venue	City	State	Screening Options
a/perture cinema	Winston Salem	NC	Virtual Cinema
ACME Screening Room	Lambertville	NJ	Virtual Cinema
Alexander Valley Film Society	Cloverdale	CA	Virtual Cinema
Amherst Cinema	Amherst	MA	Virtual Cinema
ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks	Bethlehem	PA	Virtual Cinema
Athena Cinema	Athens	OH	Virtual Cinema
Athens Ciné	Athens	GA	Virtual Cinema
Bozeman Film Society	Bozeman	MT	Virtual Cinema
Bryn Mawr Film Institute	Bryn Mawr	PA	Virtual Cinema
Camelot Theatres – Palm Springs Cultural Center	Palm Springs	CA	Virtual Cinema
Cinema Arts Centre	Huntington	NY	Virtual Cinema
Cinema Lamont	Oak Park	MI	Virtual Cinema
Cinemapolis	Ithaca	NY	Virtual Cinema
CineSpeak	Philadelphia	PA	Virtual Cinema
Cleveland Cinematheque	Cleveland	OH	Virtual Cinema
Clinton Street Theater	Portland	OR	Virtual Cinema
Coolidge Corner Theatre	Brookline	MA	Virtual Cinema
Coral Gables Art Cinema	Coral Gables	FL	Virtual Cinema
Corazon Cinema	St Augustine	FL	Virtual Cinema
Darkside Cinema	Corvallis	OR	Virtual Cinema
Denver Film / Sie FilmCenter	Denver	CO	Virtual Cinema
Dietrich Theater	Tunkhannock	PA	Virtual Cinema
Digital Gym Cinema	San Diego	CA	Virtual Cinema
Downing Film Center	Newburgh	NY	Virtual Cinema
Enzian Theatre	Maitland	FL	Virtual Cinema
Film Forum	New York	NY	Virtual Cinema
Film Streams	Omaha	NE	Virtual Cinema
FilmBar	Phoenix	AZ	Virtual Cinema
FilmScene	Iowa City	IA	Virtual Cinema
Fine Arts Theatre	Asheville	NC	Virtual Cinema
Gateway Film Center	Columbus	OH	Virtual Cinema
Gene Siskel Film Center	Chicago	IL	Virtual Cinema
Grail Moviehouse	Asheville	NC	Virtual Cinema
Grand Cinema	Tacoma	WA	Virtual Cinema
Guild Cinema	Albuquerque	NM	Virtual Cinema
Historic Howell Theater	Howell	MI	Virtual Cinema
Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre	Hurleyville	NY	Virtual Cinema
Images Cinema	Williamstown	MA	Virtual Cinema
Indie Memphis	Memphis	TN	Virtual Cinema
Jacob Burns Film Center	Pleasantville	NY	Virtual Cinema
Laemmle Theatres	Los Angeles	CA	Virtual Cinema
Minor Theater	Arcata	CA	Virtual Cinema
Northwest Film Forum	Seattle	WA	Virtual Cinema
Oxford Film Festival	Oxford	MS	Virtual Cinema
Park City Film	Park City	UT	Virtual Cinema
Philadelphia Film Society	Philadelphia	PA	Virtual Cinema
Pickford Film Center	Bellingham	WA	Virtual Cinema
Plaza Theatre	Atlanta	GA	Virtual Cinema
Railroad Square Cinema	Waterville	ME	Virtual Cinema
Rose Theatre	Port Townsend	WA	Virtual Cinema
Roxie Theater	San Francisco	CA	Virtual Cinema
Roxy Theater	Missoula	MT	Virtual Cinema
Salem Cinema	Salem	OR	Virtual Cinema
Salt Lake Film Society	Salt Lake City	UT	Virtual Cinema
SNF Parkway Theatre	Baltimore	MD	Virtual Cinema
Strand Theatre	Rockland	ME	Virtual Cinema
Suns Cinema	Washington	DC	Virtual Cinema
Symphony Space	New York	NY	Virtual Cinema
Taos Center For The Arts	Taos	NM	Virtual Cinema
TCAN Cinema	Natick	MA	Virtual Cinema
The Civic Theater	Allentown	PA	Virtual Cinema
The Little Theatre	Rochester	NY	Virtual Cinema
The Loft Cinema	Tucson	AZ	Virtual Cinema
The Nightlight Cinema	Akron	OH	Virtual Cinema
The Screening Room	Newburyport	MA	Virtual Cinema
The Tull Family Theater	Sewickley	PA	Virtual Cinema
Tropic Cinema	Key West	FL	Virtual Cinema
United Theatre	Westerly	RI	Virtual Cinema
Waters Edge Cinema	Provincetown	MA	Virtual Cinema
Wellfleet Preservation Hall	Wellfleet	MA	Virtual Cinema
Zinema 2	Duluth	MN	Virtual Cinema

Born to Be

Directed by Tania Cypriano

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Born to Be

Directed by Tania Cypriano

Find a Theater Near You to Support

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