Call Me Helen

Is. This. My. Son? No matter how often Tobias Wilke poses this question, there’s always only one answer: Yes! Tobias, can’t believe his eyes when he comes to the airport to pick up his 17-year-old son Finn – and learns that Finn is now calling herself Helen and wearing girls’ clothes. Finn/Helen reveals that she’s always felt like a girl, and that she used her year abroad in San Francisco to pass the “everyday life” test. This is required by law for everyone preparing for the sex-change operation they will undergo upon reaching majority. Reactions from Helen’s friends, acquaintances and schoolmates cover the entire gamut from derision to solidarity. Especially Helen’s father, a well-known chef, finds it difficult to accept a situation he cannot understand. But Helen nearly always finds the right words – and humor – to counterbalance the ignorance and jeers of those around her. It is the beginning of a long, winding road towards the sexual identity she is convinced is hers.

• Germany