Kelet is a twentysomething black trans woman, whose greatest dream is to be on the cover of Vogue magazine. For the Finnish-born and Manchester-raised Kelet, such models as Naomi Campbell and Iman served as role models giving her strength – and during the darkest times, kept her alive. After coming out, then 19-year-old Kelet was cut off from her family and she moved back to Finland on her own.
Direction
Mahadura's patient, non-exploitative gaze lets Kelet own her story.
Production
Intimate access to Helsinki's ballroom scene and queer POC community.
Editing
Tight 56 minutes that never wastes a frame of Kelet's journey.
Director
Susani Mahadura
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Kelet arrived during a wave of Finnish documentaries centering trans experiences, but notably directed by a Somali-Finnish filmmaker — rare representation behind the camera too.
The ballroom scenes feature real members of Helsinki's House of Shade, Finland's first vogue house founded in 2018 — Kelet helped build this community she found refuge in.
FI
