Written and directed by Rory Hunt, Miles Hionis, and Maddie Vassalo, Iphis and Ianthe is a short film that places the Greek myth of the same name in a more contemporary framework.
The original myth of Iphis and Ianthe tells the story of a young boy named Iphis who was born as a woman but grew up as a man because his parents couldn't afford a dowry. Iphis eventually falls in love with a young woman named Ianthe. However, he can't marry her because he will be outed as a woman. He prays to Isis to make him a boy, who grants him his wish to become a biological man.
Our film updates this story, questioning the idea that all transgender individuals seek surgery to alleviate their dysphoria. Instead, we discuss Iphis’s process of learning how to accept his body and becoming comfortable sharing himself with another human being.
Iphis and Ianthe combines virtual production, unconventional script writing, and rich visual symbolism.
Iphis and Ianthe ultimately begs the question “how do we discover safely how to share our bodies with our first love?”
Supported by ArtsEngine, Arts at Michigan, SMTD Excel, SMTD Wellness Initiative, and the UM Library.
