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.
Director: John-Paul Davidson
Release Year: 1993
Synopsis:
In 1993, director John-Paul Davidson released the poignant documentary "Boys from Brazil," which provides an unflinching glimpse into the lives of Brazilian travestis—transgender women—navigating the complex realities of their existence in Brazil and their aspirations for a better life in Italy. The film introduces us to key figures Samira, Luciana, and their friend Gaspar, whose intertwined stories reveal the challenges faced by transgender individuals in a society often marked by prejudice and marginalization.
"Boys from Brazil" stands out for its intimate portrayal of its subjects, capturing not just their struggles but also their hopes and dreams. The documentary opens with Samira and Luciana, two travestis living in Brazil who aspire to migrate to Italy, seeking a life filled with opportunity, acceptance, and dignity. However, their initial attempt to enter Italy fails, setting the stage for a narrative rich in resilience and determination.
Gaspar, a pivotal character in the documentary, serves as a bridge between the Brazilian context and the Italian experience. After the failed attempt, he embarks on a solo journey to Italy, where he encounters another group of Brazilian travestis—Claudia, Sabrina, and Marcela—living in Rome. This shift in setting underscores the ongoing challenges of migration, identity, and survival faced by the travesti community.
1993,
Brazil,
Portuguese,
Director: Ellen Fisher Turk & Andrew Weeks
Release Year: 1993
Synopsis:
Split: Portrait of a Drag Queen (1993), directed by Ellen Fisher Turk and Andrew Weeks, is a documentary that presents a deeply personal, complex, and captivating portrait of International Chrysis, a pioneering transgender performer whose life and career were as dramatic and multifaceted as the world she inhabited. Born in 1951, Chrysis, whose birth name was Christopher, became a symbol of transformation, resilience, and glamour within the drag and transgender communities. The film explores her rise from humble beginnings to the heights of fame in New York City’s drag scene, capturing her charisma, artistry, and struggles in ways that celebrate her while also highlighting the personal costs of a life lived in the spotlight.
The documentary is structured as both a celebration of Chrysis’s career and an intimate reflection on the challenges she faced, including issues of gender, identity, health, and societal acceptance. It tells the story of a beautiful boy who, in the late 1960s, fled his Brooklyn home in search of something more, and over the next several decades, became a renowned figure in the drag and performance art worlds. Chrysis’s journey is marked by a combination of courage and vulnerability, and Split sheds light on the multifaceted nature of her character, showing not only her extravagant public persona but also the private individual who dealt with profound personal and physical struggles.
1993,
English,
International Chrysis,
USA,
Director: Susan Marenco
Release Year: 1993
Synopsis:
Adventures in the Gender Trade (1993) is a groundbreaking documentary by Susan Marenco that explores the fluidity and complexity of gender through the life and work of Kate Bornstein, a transsexual lesbian playwright, author, and gender theorist. Interspersed with Bornstein’s own performances and satirical play, Hidden: A Gender, the film provides a kaleidoscopic view of the transgender experience and the critique of rigid gender norms. It features a diverse range of individuals, including poet Pat Califia, performance artist Justin Bond, sociologist David Halperin, and male-to-female transsexual Jack Ireland, all of whom contribute to the broader conversation about gender identity and expression.
At the heart of Adventures in the Gender Trade is Bornstein’s candid and often humorous exploration of her journey from being a man in a world that demanded conformity to a liberated, gender-nonconforming transsexual lesbian. The documentary is more than just a personal story; it’s a vibrant critique of society's narrow definitions of gender and the ways in which these definitions fail to capture the fullness of human identity. Bornstein, alongside her collaborators, humorously and intelligently challenges these ideas while presenting a spectrum of gender expressions that are often overlooked or misunderstood.
1993,
English,
Justin Vivian Bond,
Kate Bornstein,
Monika Kowalska,
USA,
