Gen_, 2025.
Directed by Gianluca Matarrese.
Starring Dr. Maurizio Bini.
SYNOPSIS:
A maverick doctor at a Milan hospital champions fertility treatments and gender transitions, defying both government restrictions and corporate interests in a quest to help patients realise their true selves.
Empathy is an essential resource for any doctor to tap into. Having the compassion to treat fellow humans with kindness and consideration, while combining this with the necessary skills, training, and experience, makes it such a highly valued profession.
The central figure in this moving and focused documentary film is Dr. Maurizio Bini, a professional working at Milan’s Niguarda public hospital, who combines his expertise in two departments that handle sensitive and highly personal matters.
One of his fields of work is assisting prospective parents with their IVF treatment and providing hope for the most suitable way forward. The other is as an endocrinologist, helping his patients to reconcile their bodies with their gender identities.
In both areas, Dr. Bini offers help in a rapidly changing environment for both parenthood and gender identity. The film showcases his ability to offer a caring outlook over and above the governing advice, reassuring parents that if any official comes to investigate any rule-breaking, he’ll be the one to answer to them.
Along with this courage and integrity, he also shows great patience in working with patients while the hospital undergoes extensive repair work. The film captures the consistent hammering sounds, eventually forcing him to go and have a polite word with the work team to stick to their agreed work hours.
The film also does a great job of occasionally lightening the tone in what could be a challenging watch. In this way, it mirrors the avuncular Bini himself, who appears to understand the need to balance serious conversation with humour and wit. At one point, the film even shows off his dance moves at a hospital function.
Overall, the film is a timely reminder of what it takes to be a trusted and respected medical professional. At a time when ill-thought-out government rulings have a direct effect on how people can or can’t access vital healthcare and live their true lives, GEN_ puts forward the importance of understanding and caring for people across the board.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk
