Following the vigil initiated by transgender rights advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith in 1999 in honor of Rita Hester, trans woman who was killed in 1998, November 20th was deemed Transgender Day of Remembrance. It has become a day to remember all the trans lives that have been taken by hate-fueled violence and advocate for further protection and acceptance of the trans community. However, while it is important to commemorate all these lives that have been lost, there also grew a need to celebrate trans joy and use it as a tool to continue the fight for access to lifesaving medical care and anti-discrimination laws. Hence Transgender Awareness Week came into being. Stretching from November 13th to the 19th, every year Transgender Awareness Week is celebrated through educational workshops, panels, and various celebrations including screenings of films featuring transgender stories.
In pop culture, the trans community is often underrepresented and the small bit of representation that does exist is often riddled with tragedy and rejection. In the past 10 or so years, trans visibility has been on the rise from Laverne Cox being the first trans person to be nominated for an Emmy in 2014 to Elliot Page being the first trans man to grace the cover of Times Magazine in 2021. These appearances have done wonders for promoting trans talent and elevating advocacy for gender equality everywhere.
For this year’s Transgender Awareness Week, we have compiled a diverse list of films featuring trans stories ranging from iconic classics to fresh box office hits for your viewing pleasure!
1o. Drunktown’s Finest 2014
Drunktown’s Finest follows the stories of three young Navajo people as they struggle to find their place in the world. Nizhoni is adopted by a white Christian family at a young age and returns to the reservation to find her roots. Felixia is a trans woman and aspiring model who uses sex work to make ends meet. Sickboy is a troubled father-to-be who enlists in the military to provide for his young family. The three stories are all intertwined through familial connections and meetings on the reservation, but they also all stand independent of each other, hashing out themes of identity, loyalty, and an unknown future. Felixia’s story is particularly meaningful as her gender identity is not a hindrance or a tragedy, as is often portrayed in transgender stories, but rather she is accepted and loved by her family. Her grandfather even in one scene tells her about the existence of a third gender in Navajo tradition, the nadleeh, which brought men and women together. Drunktown’s Finest debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014 and received relatively positive reviews, particularly for the authenticity of the three characters’ stories and the emotions they all brought to the screen.
Written, directed, produced, and starring Isabel Sandoval as her third feature film, Lingua Franca follows Olivia, an undocumented trans Filipina working as a caregiver for dementia patient, Olga. While Olivia initially had plans to marry American-born Matthew to secure a green card, Olga’s adult grandson, Alex, suddenly comes home to assist his grandmother and sparks fly between the two. Highlighting many of the struggles that come with immigrating to the US as well as some of the challenges faced by trans individuals, the intersectionality of Lingua Franca allows it to serve as an important addition to the trans canon.
8. Miss 2020
From a young age, Alexandra Dufresnoy dreams of being crowned Miss France. When she finally begins her transition as a young adult, she decides to break down all the doors and, supported by her friends, enters the Miss France competition. During the pageant, she faces many challenges besides the difficulty of the competition because of her identity. A classic Cinderella story, Miss is a heartfelt rendition of one trans woman’s journey to fully embrace her femininity and reach her dreams. Something that makes this film so special is the importance of community. There are many people in Alexandra’s life trying to tell her how difficult being trans can be, but those by her side still never waver in their support for her, allowing her to be loved through the process.
7. Anything’s Possible 2022
Finally a rom-com! Anything’s Possible is a coming-of-age film that follows high school senior and trans woman, Kelsa navigating friendships, romance, and the impact her identity has on her experiences. When Kelsa meets Khal in art class, the mutual attraction is immediate. However, when Kelsa’s best friend also expresses interest in Khal, things get a bit more complicated. Despite the drama that might follow, the two start talking more, and their relationship starts to develop. While Anything’s Possible has its healthy dose of predictable teen rom-com tropes and clichés, it also explores what it means to transition at a young age and some of the heartaches experienced by young trans people.
6. Tomboy 2011
When 10-year-old Laure moves to town with their family and is mistaken as a boy, they begin to go by the name Mickaël. Through the summer Mickaël lives in this new town, he is introduced to the local boys by a girl named Lisa, and their friendship blossoms. Sharing their first kiss with Lisa and spending the summer watching and imitating the mannerisms of the other boys, Mickaël begins to explore his own sexuality and gender presentation. Tomboy commercially and critically was incredibly well-received and credited with being a heartfelt and love-filled portrayal of a young queer person’s journey. Whether or not Mickaël is a trans man is intentionally left ambiguous and director Céline Sciamma explained that she wanted to make it so that many different audiences would be able to relate to Mickaël’s experience. Either way, the way gender is explored and its link to sexuality and personal identity, makes Tomboy an irreplaceable addition to this list.
5. Saturday Church 2017
Because of his feminine characteristics, 14-year-old Ulysses endures bullying both at school and at home where his conservative Aunt Rose is tasked with taking care of him and his younger brother. However, one night, Ulysses leaves home and encounters a group of young gay and transgender people who immediately take him in and introduce him to a place called ‘Saturday Church.’ Run by and for queer people, the program works out of a church space and opens on Saturdays as a safe space for young queer people, many of whom have been kicked out of their homes. At Saturday Church and with his new group of friends, Ulysses is introduced to voguing and the ballroom scene where he thrives. Saturday Church shows a loving depiction of chosen family, a concept that is so important in queer culture in a special musical fashion. While Ulysses himself is not trans, many of the characters in this story are and the general themes of gender exploration that Ulysses goes through also make it a fantastic addition to any transgender film viewing experience.
4. Fanfic 2023
Based on Natalia Osińska’s novel of the same name, Fanfic is the YA coming of age rom-com we all needed. Alternating between real life and Tosiek’s stories, the plot follows 17-year-old fanfiction author and trans man Tosiek as he navigates coming out, transitioning, and new love. At home, Tosiek has hard time opening up to his father who just can’t seem to understand his son’s identity, but slowly, Tosiek finds comfort in a new student, Leon who just arrived at his school. Beginning as a crush from afar at a school that prides itself in bigotry, the two grow closer and slowly their relationship grows as Tosiek navigates his identity and learns to open his heart. Fanfic is particularly notable in it is the first Polish film to ever feature a trans man with Alin Szewczyk’s portrayal of Tosiek. As easily the newest film on this list, Fanfic offers a fresh perspective in the form of a YA rom-com, a genre that so rarely is blessed with trans representation.
3. Paris is Burning 1990
It is impossible to talk about trans or any kind of queer culture without including Paris is Burning. Exploring queer culture in the 1980s, particularly the ballroom and voguing scenes, the film alternates between interviewing outstanding figures like Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Angie Xtravaganza and shots of the art form. Besides simply offering glimpse into this subculture, Paris is Burning also addresses more pressing issues that plague the community like homophobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Along with the help of hugely popular shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and Pose, this film is often credited with being a major player in bringing drag and ball culture to the mainstream. Over the years it has solidified itself as a core piece of the queer canon and a must watch for members of the community and allies alike.
2. Cowboys 2020
Following a father-son duo on the run from the law, Cowboys takes the traditional Western genre and turns it on its head in a heartwarming and powerful way. Ten-year-old trans boy, Joe, was always intrigued with the image of cowboys despite his conservative mother constantly pushing him to fill traditionally female gender roles. When Joe’s father, estranged from Joe’s mother because of disagreements on their son’s identity, agrees to run away with his son, the two embark on a cross-country journey to Canada. While authentic transgender representation is hard to find, positive depictions of trans men are even more sparse. Cowboys not only fills this long-suffering void but also shows a beautiful relationship between a father and son, something hardly ever found in queer media. Both heartwarming and deeply insightful, this newer addition to the queer canon is a must-watch.
1. Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen 2020
As a study of the impact of trans lives in Hollywood, it seems only fitting that this film should be included on this list. Following the path of history since people began creating films, director Sam Feder weaves interviews with celebrities like Laverne Cox, Chaz Bono, Angelica Ross, and Brian Michael Smith to show the evolution of trans lives on screen. The interviewees discuss their own experiences both being out in the world and the roles they have found themselves in. Media has a huge impact on how we see the world and can be one of the main teachers when figuring out how to react to particular experiences. So in showing an in-depth analysis of the evolution of trans cinema and the portrayal of trans characters, Disclosure highlights the very real effect of trans representation both positive and negative.
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