Orchids — My Intersex Adventure

Documentary filmmaker, Phoebe, has a partner, James, and a happy family. But her life is not as straightforward as it appears. Phoebe is a hermaphrodite.

She wants to come clean and embarks on a journey of self discovery to embrace her future and reconcile the past shame and family secrecy surrounding her intersex condition. She hopes this film will enable her to confront the pain and trauma surrounding the treatment of her condition, Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS).

From the outset, her mother Marie, is adamant she wants to leave what has happened in the past. Dad, questions Phoebe’s motivations for her quest. Phoebe feels she needs to push on with her quest to resolve her story and connect with other intersex people so as to allow her to revisit and consider her past.

At the same time, Phoebe and James want to start a family but dealing with infertility and the stress of the adoption process puts pressure on their marriage. She begins to understand the difficult decisions her parents faced and is excited but apprehensive when they eventually agree to be interviewed. Will talking openly with her mother give Phoebe the answers she has been looking for?