A random collection of films authored by or about my transgender, intersex sisters, and gender-nonconforming persons all over the world. I watched some of them, and I was inspired by some of them. I met some of the authors and heroines, some of them are my best friends, and I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing some of them. If you know of any transgender documentary that I have not covered yet, please let me know.

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Mala Mala

Director: Dan Sickle & Antonio Santini
Release Year: 2014

Synopsis:
Released in 2012, Mala Mala is a documentary that takes us on an intimate journey into the lives of transgender individuals in Puerto Rico. Directed by Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles, the film explores themes of identity, gender, sexuality, and the struggles of being a part of a community that is often overlooked or misunderstood. Although neither Santini nor Sickles identify as transgender, the filmmakers were captivated by the lives of those in Puerto Rico’s vibrant transgender and drag queen communities and set out to tell their stories. The result is a poignant, thought-provoking exploration of personal transformation, social acceptance, and the fight for equality.
 
Sickles and Santini’s venture into the transgender community began serendipitously. The pair met during their studies at New York University, and their paths crossed again at a film festival in Austin, Texas, where they encountered a drag queen who would alter the course of their filmmaking careers. This drag queen opened up about her life, her struggles, and the complexities of gender and identity, igniting a spark in Santini and Sickles. They felt a deep connection to the universal human desire to define oneself and to achieve one's goals despite social or biological constraints. “It is universally related to human desires, how we all aspire to be certain things in our life, and if there is a road or a way of achieving those goals,” Sickles reflected in an interview. “They use and employ these methods as a means to achieve those things.” This sentiment became the foundation of their documentary: a way of exploring how individuals, particularly those in marginalized communities, navigate and define their own identities.
 
The filmmakers initially considered several locations for their documentary before deciding on Puerto Rico. Santini, born in San Juan, felt a personal connection to the island, and this connection ultimately became a crucial element in the documentary’s cultural context. He reconnected with an old high school friend, April, who became the film’s first subject. April’s performance as a drag queen, particularly her impersonation of Liza Minnelli, captivated Santini and Sickles, and she served as an entry point into the world of Puerto Rican transgender culture. The film then expanded to include other individuals who were living unique and often difficult lives, many of them navigating multiple layers of identity—gender, sexual orientation, cultural heritage, and personal survival.
 
Among them are Kayra, a fierce human rights activist and a vocal advocate for transgender rights, and Samantha, a former transgender woman who faces both medical and social challenges as she continues to navigate her gender identity. Puerto Rico, with its complex relationship to the United States and its own ongoing struggle for political and cultural autonomy, provided a unique backdrop for the stories the filmmakers sought to tell. The island’s status as a U.S. territory created a fascinating parallel with the transgender experience—an identity that often feels in-between, neither fully accepted nor entirely rejected. The filmmakers highlighted this parallel: both Puerto Rico and transgender individuals are visible yet marginalized, striving for greater recognition and rights, while often feeling caught in a liminal space.
 
The title of the film, Mala Mala, is layered with meaning. Mala can be translated as "bad," but it also has a colloquial connotation in Puerto Rican Spanish that refers to a euphemism for menstruation. Yet, as Santini and Sickles explain, mala isn’t just about being "bad" or "female"; it also symbolizes a certain attitude. For the trans women featured in the documentary, calling themselves mala is a way of reclaiming power and femininity—embodying a bold, unapologetic confidence in their appearance and self-expression. It is a celebration of the strength and beauty that comes with embracing one’s true self, regardless of societal expectations.
 
Mala Mala introduces a fascinating and diverse cast of characters, each with their own story and unique way of navigating the complexities of gender and identity.
  • Queen Bee (Carlos) – Known for her larger-than-life persona, Queen Bee is a beloved drag queen in Puerto Rico, admired by her fans for her boldness and style. She exudes confidence and commands attention wherever she goes, demonstrating the power of performance and persona in shaping one’s identity.
  • April (Jason) – A standout in the Puerto Rican drag scene, April is a beloved local figure who straddles the worlds of performance and daily life. By day, Jason works at an ice cream shop and makes his own costumes, but by night, April is the island’s "It girl," always striving to elevate her drag to the next level.
  • Kayra (Henry) – A dedicated human rights activist, Kayra is an outspoken advocate for the transgender community in Puerto Rico. With a generous heart and an unyielding commitment to love and acceptance, Kayra's story underscores the deep emotional and political stakes in the fight for equality and dignity.
  • Zahara (Alberic) – Known as the "Paris Hilton" of Puerto Rico, Zahara is constantly reinventing herself to meet the demands of her fans, offering a glamorous and ever-changing persona that captivates her audience.
  • Rochelle (Roberto) – The intellectual and philosophical voice of the group, Rochelle is a transgender woman who navigates both the male and female worlds. She uses her intellectual prowess to reflect on the complexities of Puerto Rican identity and the challenges of gender transition.
  • Samantha – A former transgender woman who began her transition with black-market hormones, Samantha’s journey is marked by both physical and emotional challenges. While she is unable to continue her transition due to medical complications, she still longs for the opportunity to live as the woman she feels she is.
  • Sophia – After a successful male-to-female transition in New York, Sophia moved to Puerto Rico to pursue her dream of owning a small bar. She eventually became the owner of Heaven & Hell, one of the island’s largest and most successful nightclubs, offering a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community in Puerto Rico.
 
At first, Mala Mala presents a festive, exuberant picture of Puerto Rican drag culture, full of sparkle, glamour, and flamboyant performances. However, as the film progresses, the tone shifts, revealing the harsh realities many of the subjects face. The documentary doesn’t shy away from depicting the darker aspects of their lives: the hardships of being a sex worker, the discrimination and violence faced by transgender individuals, and the social isolation that comes with not conforming to traditional gender norms. One of the most emotional and powerful moments of the film is the march for transgender rights that takes place in San Juan. The march serves as a culmination of the film’s themes—an act of defiance, empowerment, and solidarity, as transgender individuals and their allies come together to demand equal rights, including the right to employment without discrimination. The filmmakers are careful not to sensationalize the struggles of their subjects. Instead, they focus on creating an intimate, respectful portrait of their lives. There is a constant sense of dignity and humanity, even in moments of hardship. The film shows that, while the transgender community faces unique challenges, their experiences are deeply tied to the universal human need for self-expression and recognition.
 
At its core, Mala Mala is a film about identity—how we construct it, how we perform it, and how we navigate societal expectations in the process. The film’s exploration of the transgender experience in Puerto Rico offers not only a poignant insight into the lives of the individuals it profiles but also a broader cultural and political commentary. The intersection of gender identity and Puerto Rican cultural identity creates a compelling narrative about visibility, independence, and the ongoing struggle for recognition and rights. As Santini and Sickles hoped, Mala Mala has sparked conversations about gender, identity, and the complexities of self-definition. The film serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength of those who live at the margins of society, challenging the binary notions of gender and pushing the boundaries of what it means to be human. By sharing these stories, Mala Mala helps amplify voices that have often been silenced, offering a glimpse into a world that is both alien and familiar, strange and universal.
 
Mala Mala is more than just a documentary about transgender lives in Puerto Rico; it is a celebration of the diversity and complexity of human identity. Through the lens of its captivating subjects, the film explores the fluidity of gender, the power of self-expression, and the universal desire for acceptance and love. As a work of both art and activism, Mala Mala challenges us to think more critically about gender, identity, and the systems that shape our lives—and, in doing so, invites us to question the very nature of who we are and who we can become.
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