Navid Sinaki speaks to Dheepthika Laurent on arts24 about how much of his own story is echoed in his novel "Medusa of the Roses". It traces an illicit gay romance in modern-day Iran and explores a little-known reality: that the government subsidises sex changes for gay people willing to transition. He also talks about visiting Iran for last time in his 20s, the vibrant Iranian cinema industry and the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement, launched after the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022.