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: Larry Tung
Release Year: 2008 Full title: Envisioning Justice: The Journey of a Transgendered Woman
Synopsis:
Larry Tung's documentary Envisioning Justice: The Journey of a Transgendered Woman offers a compelling and intimate portrait of Pauline Park, a transgender activist and artist whose journey from her early life in Korea to her experiences in the United States reveals the complexities of identity, belonging, and resilience. The film not only chronicles Park's personal transformation but also sheds light on broader social issues, including adoption, race, and the challenges faced by transgender individuals in contemporary society.
Pauline Park’s story begins with her birth in Korea, where she was adopted by European American parents and brought to the United States. This transnational adoption set the stage for a multifaceted identity shaped by cultural differences and the complexities of being both a person of color and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. As the film unfolds, viewers gain insight into Park’s early experiences, highlighting the tensions between her Korean heritage and her American upbringing.
In the summer of 2006, Park and filmmaker Larry Tung return to Milwaukee, the city where she grew up. This journey back to her childhood home serves as a pivotal moment in the documentary, as it allows Park to confront her past, revisiting not only her family home but also the schools she attended. These locations serve as physical markers of her formative years, evoking a range of memories and emotions that shape her narrative.
Production: Lucas Prod & Libertine
Release Year: 2008
Synopsis:
In a world where understanding and acceptance of diverse gender identities are continually evolving, the documentary Transsexuel et Dignité Paris by Lucas Prod & Libertine offers a compelling glimpse into the lives of transgender women in Paris, France. Through personal stories, vibrant performances, and candid interviews, the film explores the multifaceted experiences of its subjects—focusing particularly on the challenges, joys, and dignities they navigate in their everyday lives.
Transsexuel et Dignité Paris does more than just showcase the glamour and excitement of the Parisian nightlife; it delves deeply into the realities faced by transgender women. The documentary highlights a group of performers, including Crystal Lucero (aka Carmen Electra), Diana Mascaroz from Colombia, Mirna Bustos, and Gisele, all of whom have chosen the stage as a platform for self-expression. Their stories are interwoven with rich commentary on the broader transgender phenomenon, providing context and insight into the social and cultural dynamics at play.
"Sex Change Soldier," a documentary that premiered on Channel 4 in March 2008, chronicles the remarkable journey of Abigail Austen, a Northern Irish-born Scottish journalist and former British Army officer. Known as Ian Hamilton before her transition, Austen made history as the first officer in the British Army to begin gender reassignment while still serving. This film not only showcases her personal struggles and triumphs but also serves as a critical examination of military policies regarding transgender service members.
Abigail Austen's story begins in Belfast, where she was born on December 8, 1964. Raised in Stonehaven, Scotland, her childhood was marked by challenges and trauma, including experiences of abuse at a boarding school. These formative years were filled with dislocation and inner turmoil, exacerbated by her struggles with gender dysphoria. To cope, Austen enlisted in the British Army in 1982, seeking to mask her true self behind the façade of a soldier.
"Nous n'irons plus au bois" (2008), a documentary by Josée Dayan, stands as one of the most insightful and compassionate portrayals of the transgender community in France. Focusing on the personal stories of several prominent transgender women, the film provides an unflinching look at their struggles, triumphs, and the societal challenges they face. Through candid interviews, Dayan offers a space for these women to speak about their experiences, weaving a narrative that is free from judgment and sensationalism, which often cloud public discourse on gender identity.
The title of the documentary, which translates to "We Will No Longer Go to the Woods," evokes a sense of quiet defiance and hope, suggesting that the community no longer needs to retreat into the shadows of society. This concept is explored through the stories of figures such as Pascale Ourbih, Marie-Pier Ysser (Marie-Pierre Pruvot), Andréa Colliaux, and others, each of whom represents a different facet of the transgender experience in France.
"Appelez-moi Madame" (Call Me Madame) is a rare and poignant documentary by Françoise Romand that explores the life of Ovida Delect, a French trans woman whose journey from Jean-Pierre Voidies to Ovida Delect embodies a complex intersection of gender, history, and identity. Released in 1986, the film presents a personal and intimate look at Delect's transition, alongside the effect it had on her family, particularly her wife and teenage son. Through the lens of this documentary, Romand provides an invaluable portrayal of Delect, a French poet, politician, and former member of the French Resistance, whose life story resonates with the broader struggles of gender identity and acceptance, especially in post-war France.
Ovida Delect's life, as depicted in the documentary, is marked by profound transformation and resilience. Born Jean-Pierre Voidies on April 24, 1926, in Caen, Delect grew up during a time of intense political and social upheaval. As a young student, she was drawn into the French Resistance against Nazi occupation during World War II, a decision that would shape her life in profound ways. Along with several comrades, Delect joined a small resistance group that was linked to the French Communist Party, posing as a member of the National Popular Youth to infiltrate Nazi lines. She was arrested by the Gestapo in 1944, subjected to brutal torture, and ultimately deported to the Neuengamme concentration camp in Germany. Despite the inhumane conditions, Delect refused to betray her comrades, and her survival is, in many ways, a testament to her inner strength.
Transamerican Love Story (2008), created by Julio Kollerbohm and produced by World of Wonder Productions, was a groundbreaking reality dating series that premiered on the LOGO network in February 2008. It featured transgender woman Calpernia Addams, an actress, activist, and musician, as the "bachelorette" in a competition where suitors vied for her affection. This series stood out as the first of its kind, showcasing a transgender woman at the center of a dating competition—a format popularized by shows like The Bachelor.
Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles, Transamerican Love Story invited viewers into the intimate, often humorous, and occasionally uncomfortable world of dating as a transgender person. While many reality shows emphasize sensationalism or conflict, this series took a more nuanced approach. It allowed Calpernia to remain composed and thoughtful as she navigated the complexities of both her own emotions and the contestants' interactions with her. The show ultimately sought to humanize both Calpernia and the men who were interested in her, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of people who were not typically represented in mainstream dating shows.
Directors: Ron Davis & Stewart Halpern
Release Year: 2008
Synopsis:
In 2008, directors Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern-Fingerhut released Pageant, a documentary that took audiences behind the scenes of the 34th Miss Gay America contest, held in 2004. This film provides a rare, candid look at a high-stakes drag competition, showcasing the personalities and passions of the contestants as they prepare to vie for the prestigious title. While the film celebrates the glitz and glamour of the event, it also delves deeper into the universal desires for beauty, recognition, and belonging that drive its participants. Pageant is not just a documentary about drag performance; it is a nuanced exploration of the complexities of identity, competition, and human ambition.
At its core, Pageant revolves around the contestants’ deep desire to be seen, celebrated, and chosen. While the backdrop is a drag beauty pageant, the film taps into themes that are deeply human, transcending the specific context of the LGBTQ+ community. The contestants come from diverse backgrounds and bring with them a mix of motivations—from the thrill of performance to the pursuit of validation and recognition within a subculture that often faces societal marginalization.
Director: Jay Hodges & P J Raval
Release Year: 2008
Synopsis:
Trinidad (2008), a compelling American documentary by filmmakers Jay Hodges and PJ Raval, takes an intimate, unflinching look at the lives of transgender women undergoing sex reassignment surgery in Trinidad, Colorado. The film explores both the personal experiences of transgender individuals as they transition, as well as the historical significance of the town itself, known as the "Sex Change Capital of the World." At its heart, Trinidad centers on Dr. Marci Bowers, a pioneering surgeon who inherited the legacy of Dr. Stanley Biber, the first doctor to offer sex reassignment surgery in the town. Through this lens, the documentary offers a rich, empathetic exploration of gender identity, medical ethics, and the transformative power of self-expression.
The town of Trinidad, located in southeastern Colorado, holds a unique place in the history of transgender health care. It was here that Dr. Stanley Biber, a general surgeon, began performing sex reassignment surgeries in 1969. Trinidad was a small, rural community, yet it would come to play an outsized role in the history of transgender healthcare. Dr. Biber’s decision to perform these surgeries was not without its challenges.
In 2008, the UK documentary I’m 80% Girl, 20% Boy: VC2 made a profound impact by offering a deeply personal and vulnerable insight into the life of Adele (Bright Daffodil), an intersex woman grappling with her identity in a world that relentlessly enforces binary gender norms. Directed by Maxx Ginnane, the film explores Adele’s journey as an XXY intersex individual, born with ambiguous genitalia and subjected to invasive surgeries that “corrected” her body as part of a process of enforced gender conformity.
This powerful short film serves not only as a poignant narrative of Adele’s personal struggle and resilience but also as an important commentary on the medical, social, and psychological aspects of intersex lives, particularly as they pertain to gender identity. Through her journey, the film highlights the tension between biological sex and gender identity, questioning the conventional frameworks society uses to understand these complex realities.
Director: Dan Shaffer & Michelle Farrell
Release Year: 2008
Synopsis:
"Unraveling Michelle" (2008), a documentary directed by Dan Shaffer and featuring Michelle Ann Farrell, provides a rare and intimate look at the complexities of gender transition. It tells the story of Joe Farrell, a successful independent filmmaker who, after living a double life for many years, decides to embrace his true self as Michelle, a transgender woman. The documentary captures the pivotal moment when Joe begins to publicly transition, challenging societal norms and facing personal and professional obstacles along the way.
What makes Unraveling Michelle particularly remarkable is its exploration of not just gender identity, but also the intersection between art, personal transformation, and the public gaze. As Michelle embarks on her transition from a male filmmaker to a female filmmaker, the documentary illuminates the challenges she faces within both her professional and personal spheres. This deeply human journey raises questions about self-perception, societal expectations, and the role of art in personal liberation.
Director: Tanwarin Sukkhapisit
Release Year: 2008
Original title: สบายดีค่ะ
Synopsis:
"สบายดีค่ะ" ("I’m Fine") is a 2008 documentary film by Thai director and actor Tanwarin Sukkhapisit that offers a raw, evocative portrayal of gender identity, societal constraints, and personal resilience. The film is memorable not only for its portrayal of Tanwarin’s experiences as a kathoey (a transgender woman in Thai culture), but also for its striking visual and symbolic language.
In the documentary, Tanwarin sits in a cage on a hot, sunny day in front of the Democracy Monument in Bangkok, a powerful metaphor for both her personal and societal struggles. The key to unlock the cage is within reach of anyone who passes by, yet Tanwarin declines every offer of help, calmly asserting, "I’m fine"—a statement that becomes both an assertion of independence and a reflection on the complexity of her identity.
This film is not just a personal reflection; it is also a profound commentary on the state of gender and sexual diversity in Thai society. Tanwarin’s body of work, including this documentary, is often described as a bold effort to challenge the traditional boundaries of gender and sexuality, offering a deeply human perspective on the lives of people often marginalized or misunderstood by society.
"The economic prosperity of Ireland provides the ground for a lively, multicultural queer community to bloom. The Italian Fabio Ferri finds a place in Dublin for his drag queen persona and alter ego Sibyl Vane. In the same club scene we meet Sahara and her lovely Asian trans woman community as well as the local Irish drag king/burlesque queen performer Shani Williams."
"The introvert musician, Lee, shares how becoming a transman was liberating, and last but not at least, the novelist Crystal is portrayed, who found support from her church, which accepts her community of transvestites and transgenders. Identities is beautifully shot, mainly in black and white. It's a poetic picture book of five creative souls that illustrates the rich spectrum of gender diversity."
"Giorgio Montana was born in Palermo. Gifted with a heavenly soprano voice, Giorgio started to perform as Giorgia O’Brien in the 1960s. As one of the first cross-gender singers in Italian history, Giorgia O’Brien built a substantial career in the cabaret and film industries. Surrounded by memorabilia from her past, Giorgia speaks about her career, her films for Franco Zefferilli and her opera performances for Patrice Chèreau, her trip to Casablanca for her physical transition, embarked on after watching the breaking news on Christine Jorgensen’s sex change."
"This lighthearted and charming portrait consists of numerous historical materials like film fragments from the Italian cabaret and music history, and interviews with colleagues and friends of Giorgia O’Brien."
"Claudette was born with both male and female genitals, lovingly supported by her Swiss parents, who raised her in Morocco as a boy with a gender-flexible name. At a young age Claude fell in love with an older neighbor, a relationship that lead into a brothel..."
"Later married with two children, Claudette eventually took up her profession again as well as the role of fierce activist, speaking to the European parliament, other prostitutes from a stage and potential clients on the street."
"Claude was born in Switzerland as a hermaphrodite, with both male and female sex organs, and while he was raised as a boy, as a teenager a friend persuaded him to try turning tricks as a woman, and he discovered he enjoyed sex both as a male and a female. Through most of his life, Claude lived as a man, and married a woman with whom he raised two children. But after Claude went broke and his marriage fell apart, he returned to prostitution to support himself."
"Be Like Others (also known as Transsexual in Iran) is a 2008 documentary film written and directed by Tanaz Eshaghian about transsexuals in Iran. It explores issues of gender and sexuality while following the personal stories of some of the patients at a Tehran clinic."
"Although homosexual relationships are illegal (punishable by death) in Iran, sex reassignment operations are permitted. In 1983, spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini passed a fatwa allowing sex-change operations as a cure for “diagnosed transsexuals”. Be Like Others shows the experiences of male and female patients at Dr. Bahram Mir-Jalali’s Mirdamad Surgical Centre, a sex-reassignment clinic in Tehran."
"Paul is a High School football hero, the quarter back, named "best looking," and the Valedictorian. Paul however, since kindergarten, has felt that something is sexually wrong with him. Although Paul dates girls in High School, upon going to the University of California, Berkeley, he begins to think he might be a transgender woman. He dates both men and women and in his late 20s, he finally transitions into a female, through gender reassignment surgery, and becomes Kimberly Reed, a lesbian. Paul's younger brother, Todd, is gay.
"Kimberly Reed becomes a film maker and returns home to Montana for her high school reunion and to reconcile her relationship with her adopted brother Marc. She discovers many revelations on her journey including Marc's shocking blood relationship as the secret grandson of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth."
