At the beginning of the year 2022, Alia, my second child, decided to go back to
Montreal (Quebec – Canada) after a long depressive episode to achieve her
program of study at the university.
Her, Christophe my husband and I felt the need to be together during this
fragile period after two years of uncertainty, deception, isolation and
questioning. This has been my reason for being in Canada, for 5 weeks in
February/March 2022, the coldest time of the year, supporting her with our
love and sharing precious time.
Alia has been my sunshine in this cold freezing month, as her becoming herself
through her transgender identity, and her intense personality are such
enriching gifts. Today, I’m Alia’s ally and this has been a strong shift in my life.
The path towards understanding and acceptance of her trans identity has been
complex but I’m confident that I’m now at the right place along her side. The
way we act together at present is key for her future as a fulfilled person and for
our future as a family.
Montreal and the whole Quebec province at that precise time were still under
many restrictions due to the pandemic and the atmosphere, while sometimes
beautiful, was also full of loneliness and emptiness.
As a photographer, I aimed to capture this very personal experience and share with pride how Alia’s attitude, presence, smile and specificity warmed my heart and spirit while the temperature, the landscape, the streets were freezing my body.
The selected pictures of this Serie were taken “along the road” of our month together, genuinely, as a reaction of what I was seeing and living and are also illustrating a shift in my photography towards closeness with the subject.
Alia has been the reason and this essay is the result.
