“Through it all Ting is an anchor, a presence of compassion and good sense. Anyone confused about transgender people will certainly benefit from a viewing of this picture.”
– Glenn Kenny, The New York Times, Critic’s Pick
“Lively. Moving and fascinatingly forward-looking"
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
""★★★★ A brave, revelatory, and beautifully realized film, it is easily one of the year’s best and most important documentaries."
– Godfrey Cheshire, RogerEbert.com
“"Intimate and highly compelling... Poignant and finely tuned… Tania Cypriano treats her tireless subject with utmost sensitivity… With its cinematic eye, compelling subjects, and elegant awareness of the issues, 'Born to Be' was conceived just in time.”
– Jude Dry, IndieWire
“Deeply moving and humane.”
– Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
"A quietly moving, wonderfully intimate film..."
– David Ansen, Vanity Fair - Oscar Awards Print Issue
"In a moving new documentary Born to Be, the work of pioneering surgeon Dr Jess Ting and the lives of his patients are brought to the screen with sensitivity."
– Adrian Horton, The Guardian
"A must see. Makes the struggle something you can feel."
– Norman Gidney, Film Threat
“Enlightening. The film has an exuberantly infectious life to it… We’re watching history be made with a sympathetic and respectful eye to everything that entails.”
– Jared Mobarak, The Film Stage
“Fascinates and educates. Sympathetic yet journalistically precise. It’s the stories of the patients that are the most moving and complex in the film. There’s a tension always at play, and the film refuses to sugarcoat the real implications. With moments of sadness, joy and even comedy, the film is both emotionally and intellectually stimulating. A film filled with interesting characters, fascinating scientific progress, deeply provocative moral questions.”
– Jason Gorber, POV Magazine
Select Additional Press:
2020
THE PLAYLIST
BAY AREA REPORTER
GAY CITY NEWS
INDIEWIRE
HYPERALLERGIC
LOS ANGELES TIMES
EDGE MEDIA NETWORK
THE DAILY BEAST
MOVEABLE FEST 2020
THE QUEER REVIEW
FILM FESTIVAL TODAY
THE BODY
FILM-FORWARD
REMEZCLA
PATHEOS
MOVEABLE FEST 2019
WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD
IN REVIEW ONLINE
HOLLYWOOD SOAPBOX
IT’S JUST MOVIES
SCRIPT MAG
THE KNOCKTURNAL
FLAVORWIRE
THE INDEPENDENT
Select Awards & Acknowledgements:
42nd Annual News & Documentary Emmy® Awards (2021) - Best Documentary Nominee
42nd Annual News & Documentary Emmy® Awards (2021) - Outstanding Direction: Documentary Nominee
Indie-Lincs International Film Festival 2022 - Big Imp for Feature Film Winner
Dorian Film Awards 2021 - Best LGBTQ Documentary Nominee
Nashville Film Festival 2020 - Best Documentary Feature Winner
Trans Stellar Film Festival 2020 - Best Documentary Feature and Best Feature
Kansas City Underground Film Festival 2020 - Best Feature Film
Seattle Asian American Film Festival 2020 - Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature