TEHRAN – A play on stage in the Plus section at the 35th Fajr International Theater Festival is attempting to transform public opinion about the tragic lives of transgender Iranians.

Saman Arastu, 49, is the writer and director of the play titled “Be the One that You’re Not”, which had two performances at Fanus Theater on Monday and Tuesday.   

“The story of the play is about transgender people in later life after changing their gender,” Arastu told the Persian service of ILNA on Tuesday.

“Due to a lack of awareness on the part of their families and society, they are forced to live in a way that is exasperating: for example, imposing marriage or wearing of certain attire upon the transgender people by their families,” he added.

“The layers that the cast and I extract from the lives of transgender people to show on the stage are very bitter,” he stated. “We feature the hidden violence in society with all its severity, and afterwards, we feel depressed because the play is a bit heavy going.”

As a transgender person, Arastu who decided to legally change gender in 2008, called all the Iranian movies and documentaries produced on transgender people “flawed, biased and unscientific.”

“Not as an artist but as a transgender person, I am not happy about making such movies and documentaries about transgender people, because these productions do not have a scientific basis; the filmmakers have only taken money to produce a film while they have little knowledge about the issue,” he mentioned.

It was difficult for Arastu to get the festival organizers’ approval for the play.

He said that “Be the One that You’re Not” could draw more attention if the organizers would allocate the central hall of the City Theater Complex to the play.

Over 20 groups from around the world are currently participating in the Fajr theater festival, which will run until January 31.

Photo: Saman Arastu acts in a scene from “Be the One that You’re Not”. 

MMS/YAW