Coming to NZ soon: Trans widows doco 'Behind the Looking Glass'.

Documentary maker Vaishnavi Sundar will be here in early April to show her film and meet with us.

The Women’s Rights Party is bringing filmmaker Vaishnavi Sundar to New Zealand to show her documentary ‘Behind the Looking Glass’, followed by an opportunity for dialogue with her after the movie

Vaishnavi Sundar is a writer and independent filmmaker from Chennai in India. She founded Lime Soda Films more than a decade ago with the aim of highlighting themes of male violence against women, empowerment, education and advocacy.

While men who come out as ‘trans women’ are often portrayed as being brave, Behind the Looking Glass is the first-ever documentary to explore the overlooked experiences of women whose male partners have or are in the process of ‘transitioning’.

The documentary also considers children of autogynephilic fathers who suffer embarrassment at having a Dad who dresses as if he was a woman, and who demands to be called “Mum”.

These perspectives are ones that many have been too afraid to talk about or were bullied into silence – until now. This film is the first of its kind in collecting such experiences of women from around the world.

In Behind the Looking Glass, Vaishnavi sheds light on the emotional turmoil and coercive control the women face. In interviews about the documentary, Vaishnavi asks why is it that these women, often silenced and marginalised, feel compelled to redefine their identities in the shadow of their partners?

Check out Stephanie Winn’s interview on ‘Some Kind of Therapist’:

In this interview, Vaishnavi shares powerful insights into the dynamics of narcissism and gaslighting that permeate these relationships. How do societal expectations and gender ideology contribute to the erasure of these women's voices?

Vaishnavi describes how, through the metaphor of the ‘looking glass’, she uncovers the disturbing reality of men who, in their quest for self-identity, leave their partners feeling like mere ghosts of their former selves.

What happens when these women finally muster the courage to leave? What challenges do they face in reclaiming their autonomy and identity? Join us as we hear the poignant stories of resilience and hope from those who have endured this unique form of domestic violence.

Vaishnavi will be present at the screenings in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and will dialogue with you in a Q&A session. You can buy your tickets here, and/or make a donation towards costs of bringing Vaishnavi to New Zealand from Australia where she is also touring her documentary.

Auckland, 6pm, Tuesday, 1 April: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/womensrightsparty/1595810

Wellington: 6pm, Thursday, 3 April: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/womensrightsparty/1601458

Christchurch: 12noon, Sunday, 6 April: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/womensrightsparty/1601459

Ticketholders will be notified by email of the viewing location on the day before the event. This is partly because we don’t want to invite those whose sole intent would be to disrupt and close down the event.

In addition, Vaishnavi has been subjected to sustained, escalating harassment that has persisted for years. Her stalker has now escalated to threatening to appear at planned screenings in Australia. This is not a case of miscommunication or harmless fixation—it is deliberate, targeted intimidation and she is taking legal action about it.

View the trailer to the documentary:

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