As many as sixty thousand people are uncomfortable with the sex they were born into (gender dysphoria). Gary, a thirty-nine-year-old transsexual, has been convinced since childhood that he is a woman trapped in a male body.

At age thirty six, Gary decided to begin the extraordinary process of changing his sex. Shot over three years, this compassionate yet unsentimental filmfollows Gary's transformation into Gabi.

Before he can be accepted for sex-reassignment surgery, Gary mustprove that he can successfully live and work as a woman, 24 hours a day, for at least one year. We see Gary sorting out his masculine and feminine traits, undergoing facial plastic surgery, electrolysis, hormone therapy, and psychological counseling. A lively discussion among Gabi's coworkers raises questions about the very nature of masculinity and femininity. Gabi attends a transsexual support group, and wrestles throughout the film with religious conflicts. By the end of the film she reconciles with her mother, and attends her high school reunion.

Metamorphosis raises profound questions about gender stereotypes as Gary's fantasies collide with the realities of living as a woman. Watching Gary make conscious choices of what is appropriate behavior for a woman today challenges the audience to confront personal biases and expectations of what men and women are supposed to be.

"A very interesting aspect is the family and friends." - Choice
"The power and intimacy in Leeman's unsentimental portrait of animator Gary/Gabi and his/her four-year quest for a sexual identity change is equalled only by thehonesty and bravery of the film's subject." - Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times
"Informative and fascinating." - Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle

Montreal World Film Festival, 1990
Finalist, Human Sexuality, John Muir Medical Film Festival, 1990
American Film & Video Festival, 1991
American Psychological Association, 1991
Filmmakers Trophy, Sundance US Film Competition, 1990
Silver Apple, National Educational Film & Video Festival, 1990
Hon. Men., San Francisco International Film Festival, 1990