Maya Jafer

An LA family with serious boundary issues have their past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone's secrets to spill out.

THIS IS ME docu-series is an anthology of five 3-5 minute-long TRANSPARENT-inspired documentaries by five different trans and gender-nonconforming filmmakers. Personal essays, direct actions, explainers - each filmmaker has crafted a segment that explores a theme in TRANSPARENT.

MOHAMMED TO MAYA is a documentary feature that examines the spiritual and emotional side of sex change through the story of a devout Muslim from India (Maya Jafer), who was persecuted by her orthodox Muslim family and religious community for deciding to undergo sexual reassignment surgery. Filmmaker Jeff Roy follows Maya to three countries (Thailand, United States, and India), along a difficult journey as she struggles to maintain her faith while fighting for personal liberation.

Filmed in Bangkok, Rites of Passage (Part 1) documents the story of Maya (Mohammad) Jafer, a 42-year old Indo-Muslim transsexual female, who underwent gender reassignment surgery in early 2011. This film follows her through the moments leading towards and during her surgery, capturing her in times of utmost vulnerability and ecstasy. This film is an honest and truthful look at Maya's journey to fully-realized self-hood.