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.
"With the dramatic competition to win the crown and a starring role in a controversial new Vegas Revue as a high-stakes backdrop, TRANTASIA explores the intensely private and moving stories of its extraordinary contestants."
"Told through provocative hometown profiles and heartbreaking one-on-one interviews, the groundbreaking film documents the sometimes humorous, always personal journeys of these true survivors. United by common histories of hardship and persecution, their ultimate triumph is a moving celebration of the human spirit."
"Pushing the gender-bending envelope with a funny, profoundly touching and thoroughly entertaining sensibility, TRANTASIA combines the intense drama of this one-of-a-kind contest with unforgettable, over-the-top characters competing for fame and fortune in Sin City."
Charmed Life (2006), directed by Katherine Delaney, is a documentary that captures the vibrant and often misunderstood world of drag performers, offering an intimate look into the artistry, skill, and resilience required to transcend gender and challenge societal norms. Through moving interviews with figures like Dwayne Cooper, Keith Levy, Daniel T. 'Sweetie' Boothe, and others, the documentary explores the personal and political dimensions of drag performance, underscoring the deep connection between art, identity, and resistance. At the heart of this documentary is a central question that continues to echo in the minds of both performers and viewers: what is so controversial about a man in a dress?
From the very first scenes, Charmed Life emphasizes that drag is not merely a performance for entertainment but a complex art form that requires a unique set of skills, from makeup artistry and costume design to dance, comedic timing, and emotional depth. The documentary introduces its audience to drag queens who have made their mark not only by embodying femininity but by transforming it into something bold and transformative. As one of the queens in the film aptly puts it, “Any clown can put on a dress, but they’re not going to be around for a long time.” This statement speaks to the core of the documentary’s message—that drag is an art form rooted in mastery and technique, not just surface-level appearance. Drag queens such as Dwayne Cooper, Keith Levy, and Daniel T. Boothe are featured in candid interviews, reflecting on the commitment it takes to perform drag in a way that transcends mere mimicry, instead challenging societal norms and making a lasting impact.
Paper Dolls (2006) is a deeply moving and multifaceted documentary by Israeli director Tomer Heymann that brings to the forefront the lives of transgender Filipino migrant workers in Israel. These workers, who have come to the country to provide healthcare for elderly Orthodox Jewish men, lead lives marked by profound contrasts—facing societal marginalization while also finding a space of freedom and expression as performers in the drag queen group "Paper Dolls." Their story unfolds as a tale of resilience, struggle for acceptance, and the search for belonging in an often hostile world.
The documentary focuses on five transgender Filipino women who navigate life in Israel, where they perform as caregivers in a setting shaped by strict religious and cultural norms. In the Jewish Orthodox community, religious laws prohibit women from physically touching men who are not their husbands or close relatives. As a result, many elderly Jewish men rely on foreign male caregivers, often from countries like the Philippines, where people seek work abroad to support their families back home. These transgender women, each in different stages of gender transition, find themselves caught in a paradox: although they must present as men to fulfill the cultural and religious expectations of their clients, they are, in fact, women, living outside the gender binary. During their free time, they live out their feminine identities in public as part of the drag troupe “Paper Dolls,” performing in clubs in Tel Aviv.
In February 2004, a groundbreaking moment occurred in the world of theatre and activism: the first all-transgender performance of The Vagina Monologues. This production, a collaboration between celebrated playwright Eve Ensler, actress and activist Jane Fonda, and members of Deep Stealth Productions, marked an important milestone in the transgender community’s long and often marginalized history. The production included a new monologue penned by Ensler that reflected the unique experiences of transgender women, as well as a star-studded cast of trans women from across America. Many of these women had been living in “stealth,” concealing their identities in order to protect themselves from discrimination or harm, and chose this moment as their declaration of identity—a public coming out at one of the most iconic and culturally significant events for women.
Beautiful Daughters (2006), a documentary directed by Josh Aronson, chronicles the powerful journey behind this historic event. It dives deep into the creative process, from the early interviews with trans women that inspired Ensler’s new monologue, to the weeks of auditions, rehearsals, and dress preparations. The film captures the tension and excitement leading up to the big night, as well as the significance of the performance itself, both as an artistic endeavor and as a political statement. In doing so, Beautiful Daughters gives audiences an intimate glimpse into the lives of the performers and the cultural moment that led to this unforgettable show.
Director: Janet Baus, Dan Hunt, Reid Williams
Release Year: 2006
Synopsis:
In the United States, the criminal justice system has long faced criticism for its mistreatment of marginalized communities, and the incarceration of transgender individuals is no exception. One powerful film that examines the struggles of transgender women in U.S. prisons is Cruel and Unusual: Transgender Women in Prison (2006).
Directed by Janet Baus, Dan Hunt, and Reid Williams, this documentary sheds light on the dire conditions transgender women face when incarcerated in men’s prisons, and it raises important questions about human rights, gender identity, and the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
The film’s title—Cruel and Unusual—is a direct reference to the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which bars punishment deemed excessive or unconstitutional. The documentary delves into whether the systemic abuse and neglect of transgender women in men’s prisons constitutes such a violation. In focusing on the experiences of five transgender women—three of whom were incarcerated at the time of filming and two who had recently been released—the film reveals how the prison system's failure to accommodate gender identity leads to severe consequences for those caught in its web.
"Paris. In a small side street, seconds away from the Place the Clichy, two dirty and dingy hotels face one another. Behind their facades, the lives of marginal transsexuals from Ecuador take place. They all work as prostitutes in the Bois de Boulogne. Among them, we meet "Mujeron", (the "Big Woman", in Spanish), a former boxer who chose prostitution and solitary life in order to survive and help his family back home."
"We also meet the exuberant and ironic "Romina", who seems to have made her dreams come true thanks to prostitution: a woman's body, a housewife's routine, a small flat and some money. Two parallel existences that are apparently poles apart but will in fact unite in one tragic ending. Both light-hearted and tragic, switching from flirtatiousness to misery, from optimism to fatalism, the story of Romina and Mia balances between joyful complicity and solitary distress."
"After finding a most unusual web site that was seeking funds to help reverse a sex change, filmmaker Tom Murray set
out on a fascinating cross country journey to explore just a small part of the vastly diverse transgender community."
"While doing web research for the piece, I happened on a somewhat unusual web site then titled, “Help Me Reverse
My Sex Change dot ORG.” The site had been set up and operated by Judy Kirchner, a transgender woman who was
approaching her 40th birthday. With circumstances which are more spelled out in ALMOST MYSELF, after being
born a male, having surgery and living nearly 20 years as a female, she had decided to become a guy again. One of the
reasons that I mention now, was her involvement in one of the “ex-gay” ministries."
