yana ugrekhelidze’s debut feature documentary instructions for survival accompanies alexander, a transgender man, and his wife mari through a turbulent period of conflicts caused by anti-lgbtiq* sentiments widespread within the georgian society. while alexander must keep his transition a secret and is still identified as “female” in his passport, which means he cannot legally find work, mari decides to become a surrogate mother in exchange for 12,000 dollars. the couple’s originally pragmatic plan to leave georgia with the money and seek freedom in europe turns into an emotional dilemma when alexander and mari begin to develop a relationship with the unborn child.

documentary / 2021 / 72 min / germany
englisch, georgian, russian with englisch subs

director: yana ugrekhelidze
producers: yana ugrekhelidze, revaz meliqishvili
camera: jule katinka cramer
editor: agata wozniak

click here to stream at kino vod club