Can an Iranian lesbian pretending to be a man find a job and a lover in today's Germany? This may sound like a pitch line for a comedy, but in Angelina Maccarone's Unveiled it's treated with deadly seriousness. Fariba (Jasmin Tabatabai) is a young woman forced to flee her native Iran because homosexuality is punishable by imprisonment. Arriving in Germany, she is denied asylum because she is not considered a political refugee, but rather than return home, she takes on the identity of a male Iranian exile who died before receiving his request for asylum. Disguised as a man, Fariba finds menial work in a factory, but feels more isolated than ever until she falls in love with a female coworker, who returns the feeling without knowing Fariba's true gender. Unfortunately, Unveiled has a few too many convenient plot twists to hold up under much scrutiny, although beneath the narrative manipulation here lies an intermittently interesting commentary on race and gender issues relating to Western and Islamic societies. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include the fine companion short documentary “Everyone, Everywhere”—narrated by Sir Ian McKellan—on the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission's work to fight homophobia worldwide. Bottom line: a small but solid extras package for an uneven film.] (P. Hall)
Unveiled
Wolfe, 97 min., in German w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.95, Apr. 18 Volume 21, Issue 3
Unveiled
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