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.
Directors: Sławomir Grünberg & Katka Reszke
Release Year: 2010
Synopsis:
Released in 2010, Trans-akcja is a deeply intimate and powerful documentary by filmmakers Sławomir Grünberg and Katka Reszke. The film follows Anna Grodzka, a Polish transgender woman, in one of the most crucial moments of her life: her legal gender change. Through candid footage and sensitive storytelling, the documentary captures Grodzka’s emotional, physical, and social transition, offering an in-depth look at her journey from living as a man named Krzysztof to becoming a woman named Anna. Beyond the personal story, Trans-akcja delves into the broader political and cultural contexts surrounding transgender issues in Poland, a country that has been historically conservative about gender and LGBTQ+ rights.
Born in 1954 in Otwock, near Warsaw, Anna Grodzka’s life before her transition was defined by a deep sense of incongruity between her gender identity and the body she was born into. Assigned male at birth, Grodzka married a woman, Grażyna, and fathered a son. For several decades, she lived as a man, fulfilling societal expectations of masculinity. However, despite external appearances, Grodzka was never at peace with the gender assigned to her. This internal conflict led to years of emotional turmoil and a deep sense of alienation.
2010,
Anna Grodzka,
Poland,
Polish,
Director: Justyna Banaś & Krzysztof Sienny
Release Year: 2013
Synopsis:
In a world where discussions on gender identity are becoming more prominent and widely accepted, the 2013 documentary "To tylko Ja, Stasia" (English: "It Is Only Me, Stasia") offers a deeply personal and introspective exploration of one woman’s journey through self-discovery, struggle, and liberation. Directed by Justyna Banaś and Krzysztof Sienny, this poignant Polish documentary focuses on the life of Stasia, a transgender woman, who shares her experience of transitioning from male to female in a society that often struggles to understand or embrace gender fluidity.
At the heart of "To tylko Ja, Stasia" is Stasia herself, whose open and vulnerable interview throughout the documentary gives the audience an intimate look at her emotional and physical transformation. The film focuses on her transition, both in terms of her gender identity and the process of how she navigates the world as a woman, after spending much of her life trapped in a body that did not reflect her true self.
