The history of transgender representation in film has not been ideal, to put it mildly, and rarely have these stories been told by or starred transgender creators. This list features some of the less-exploitative films from around the word, including documentaries that get deeper into lived experience. (J.C.)
“Under the guise of a conventional romantic comedy, this independent feature explores gender politics and sex-positive themes with depth and passion.” (Chicago Reader)
“Under the guise of a conventional romantic comedy, this independent feature explores gender politics and sex-positive themes with depth and passion.” (Chicago Reader)
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“Under the guise of a conventional romantic comedy, this independent feature explores gender politics and sex-positive themes with depth and passion.” (Chicago Reader)
“Under the guise of a conventional romantic comedy, this independent feature explores gender politics and sex-positive themes with depth and passion.” (Chicago Reader)
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“Boys will be boys and girls will be girls, but one child isn't so sure in this Belgian comedy drama.” (AllMovie)
“Boys will be boys and girls will be girls, but one child isn't so sure in this Belgian comedy drama.” (AllMovie)
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“Boys will be boys and girls will be girls, but one child isn't so sure in this Belgian comedy drama.” (AllMovie)
“Boys will be boys and girls will be girls, but one child isn't so sure in this Belgian comedy drama.” (AllMovie)
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“Marina (Daniela Vega), a transgender nightclub singer, comes under suspicion when her much older lover Orlando (Francisco Reyes) dies suddenly. After bei...Show more
“Marina (Daniela Vega), a transgender nightclub singer, comes under suspicion when her much older lover Orlando (Francisco Reyes) dies suddenly. After being harassed and threatened by her late boyfriend's vengeful relatives and the police, she must defend her rights as both Orlando's partner and as a human being.” (AllMovie)
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“Marina (Daniela Vega), a transgender nightclub singer, comes under suspicion when her much older lover Orlando (Francisco Reyes) dies suddenly. After bei...Show more
“Marina (Daniela Vega), a transgender nightclub singer, comes under suspicion when her much older lover Orlando (Francisco Reyes) dies suddenly. After being harassed and threatened by her late boyfriend's vengeful relatives and the police, she must defend her rights as both Orlando's partner and as a human being.” (AllMovie)
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“A transgender prostitute (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is released from prison and meets her friend at a donut shop. She learns that her boyfriend and pimp (Ja...Show more
“A transgender prostitute (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is released from prison and meets her friend at a donut shop. She learns that her boyfriend and pimp (James Ransone) is cheating on her and begins a search through the neighborhood for retribution.” (AllMovie)
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“A transgender prostitute (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is released from prison and meets her friend at a donut shop. She learns that her boyfriend and pimp (Ja...Show more
“A transgender prostitute (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is released from prison and meets her friend at a donut shop. She learns that her boyfriend and pimp (James Ransone) is cheating on her and begins a search through the neighborhood for retribution.” (AllMovie)
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“Films like Gun Hill Road with Latino leads are a rarity in independent gay cinema. The film further sets itself apart in that one of its leads is transgendered on screen as well as in real-life.” (Gay Essential)
“Films like Gun Hill Road with Latino leads are a rarity in independent gay cinema. The film further sets itself apart in that one of its leads is transgendered on screen as well as in real-life.” (Gay Essential)
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“Films like Gun Hill Road with Latino leads are a rarity in independent gay cinema. The film further sets itself apart in that one of its leads is transgendered on screen as well as in real-life.” (Gay Essential)
“Films like Gun Hill Road with Latino leads are a rarity in independent gay cinema. The film further sets itself apart in that one of its leads is transgendered on screen as well as in real-life.” (Gay Essential)
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“A troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife runs off with his trans son into the Montana wilderness after his ex-wife's refusal to let their son live as his authentic self.” (IMDb)
“A troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife runs off with his trans son into the Montana wilderness after his ex-wife's refusal to let their son live as his authentic self.” (IMDb)
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“A troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife runs off with his trans son into the Montana wilderness after his ex-wife's refusal to let their son live as his authentic self.” (IMDb)
“A troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife runs off with his trans son into the Montana wilderness after his ex-wife's refusal to let their son live as his authentic self.” (IMDb)
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“When a transgender teen (Elle Fanning) decides to transition from female to male, his announcement is met with concern from his mother (Naomi Watts) and ...Show more
“When a transgender teen (Elle Fanning) decides to transition from female to male, his announcement is met with concern from his mother (Naomi Watts) and support from his lesbian grandmother (Susan Sarandon). Complicating matters, he must obtain the legal consent of his estranged father (Tate Donovan) in order to start hormone treatment.” (AllMovie)
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“When a transgender teen (Elle Fanning) decides to transition from female to male, his announcement is met with concern from his mother (Naomi Watts) and ...Show more
“When a transgender teen (Elle Fanning) decides to transition from female to male, his announcement is met with concern from his mother (Naomi Watts) and support from his lesbian grandmother (Susan Sarandon). Complicating matters, he must obtain the legal consent of his estranged father (Tate Donovan) in order to start hormone treatment.” (AllMovie)
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“Here, Almodóvar beautifully weaves a canvas where the transgender experience is not a peripheral narrative but a central discourse, interlinked intricate...Show more
“Here, Almodóvar beautifully weaves a canvas where the transgender experience is not a peripheral narrative but a central discourse, interlinked intricately with the characters’ lives and growth. This meticulous portrayal manifests through a rich psychoanalytic lens, where concepts of identity, desire, and gender fluidity come into play with a nuanced depth. By doing so, All About My Mother dives headfirst into the complex, cruel, and harsh realities of experience, navigating internal and external landscapes.” (PopMatters)
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“Here, Almodóvar beautifully weaves a canvas where the transgender experience is not a peripheral narrative but a central discourse, interlinked intricate...Show more
“Here, Almodóvar beautifully weaves a canvas where the transgender experience is not a peripheral narrative but a central discourse, interlinked intricately with the characters’ lives and growth. This meticulous portrayal manifests through a rich psychoanalytic lens, where concepts of identity, desire, and gender fluidity come into play with a nuanced depth. By doing so, All About My Mother dives headfirst into the complex, cruel, and harsh realities of experience, navigating internal and external landscapes.” (PopMatters)
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“Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biolo...Show more
“Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biologically female. Resettling in the small town of Falls City, Nebraska, Brandon falls for Lana (Chloë Sevigny), an aspiring singer, and begins to plan for their future together. But when her ex-convict friends, John (Peter Sarsgaard) and Tom (Brendan Sexton III), learn Brandon's secret, things change very quickly.” (Rotten Tomatoes)
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“Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biolo...Show more
“Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biologically female. Resettling in the small town of Falls City, Nebraska, Brandon falls for Lana (Chloë Sevigny), an aspiring singer, and begins to plan for their future together. But when her ex-convict friends, John (Peter Sarsgaard) and Tom (Brendan Sexton III), learn Brandon's secret, things change very quickly.” (Rotten Tomatoes)
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“A fictitious love story loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda's marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.” (IMDb)
“A fictitious love story loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda's marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.” (IMDb)
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“A fictitious love story loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda's marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.” (IMDb)
“A fictitious love story loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda's marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.” (IMDb)
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“A transgender woman takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she had a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.” (IMDb)
“A transgender woman takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she had a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.” (IMDb)
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“A transgender woman takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she had a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.” (IMDb)
“A transgender woman takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she had a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.” (IMDb)
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“In the 1970s, a young trans woman, Patrick "Kitten" Braden, comes of age by leaving her Irish town for London, in part to look for her mother and in part because her gender identity is beyond the town's understanding.” (IMDb)
“In the 1970s, a young trans woman, Patrick "Kitten" Braden, comes of age by leaving her Irish town for London, in part to look for her mother and in part because her gender identity is beyond the town's understanding.” (IMDb)
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“In the 1970s, a young trans woman, Patrick "Kitten" Braden, comes of age by leaving her Irish town for London, in part to look for her mother and in part because her gender identity is beyond the town's understanding.” (IMDb)
“In the 1970s, a young trans woman, Patrick "Kitten" Braden, comes of age by leaving her Irish town for London, in part to look for her mother and in part because her gender identity is beyond the town's understanding.” (IMDb)
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“In a small town in the Midwest, Suzanna, age 23, is transitioning into a man, Coby, while his family struggles to cope.” (IMDb)
“In a small town in the Midwest, Suzanna, age 23, is transitioning into a man, Coby, while his family struggles to cope.” (IMDb)
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“In a small town in the Midwest, Suzanna, age 23, is transitioning into a man, Coby, while his family struggles to cope.” (IMDb)
“In a small town in the Midwest, Suzanna, age 23, is transitioning into a man, Coby, while his family struggles to cope.” (IMDb)
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“Assembled from over 10 years of footage, Markie in Milwaukee tells the story of a midwestern transgender woman as she struggles with the prospect of de-transitioning under the pressures of her fundamentalist church, family and community.” (IMDb)
“Assembled from over 10 years of footage, Markie in Milwaukee tells the story of a midwestern transgender woman as she struggles with the prospect of de-transitioning under the pressures of her fundamentalist church, family and community.” (IMDb)
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“Assembled from over 10 years of footage, Markie in Milwaukee tells the story of a midwestern transgender woman as she struggles with the prospect of de-transitioning under the pressures of her fundamentalist church, family and community.” (IMDb)
“Assembled from over 10 years of footage, Markie in Milwaukee tells the story of a midwestern transgender woman as she struggles with the prospect of de-transitioning under the pressures of her fundamentalist church, family and community.” (IMDb)
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“An intimate exploration of the struggles and choices facing transgender kids and their parents. Through moving, personal stories of children, parents and...Show more
“An intimate exploration of the struggles and choices facing transgender kids and their parents. Through moving, personal stories of children, parents and doctors, the film examines new medical interventions increasingly being offered at younger ages.” (IMDb)
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“An intimate exploration of the struggles and choices facing transgender kids and their parents. Through moving, personal stories of children, parents and...Show more
“An intimate exploration of the struggles and choices facing transgender kids and their parents. Through moving, personal stories of children, parents and doctors, the film examines new medical interventions increasingly being offered at younger ages.” (IMDb)
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“The touching portrait of eight-year-old Sasha, who questions her gender and in doing so, evokes the sometimes disturbing reactions of a society that is still invested in a biological boy-girl way of thinking.” (IMDb)
“The touching portrait of eight-year-old Sasha, who questions her gender and in doing so, evokes the sometimes disturbing reactions of a society that is still invested in a biological boy-girl way of thinking.” (IMDb)
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“The touching portrait of eight-year-old Sasha, who questions her gender and in doing so, evokes the sometimes disturbing reactions of a society that is still invested in a biological boy-girl way of thinking.” (IMDb)
“The touching portrait of eight-year-old Sasha, who questions her gender and in doing so, evokes the sometimes disturbing reactions of a society that is still invested in a biological boy-girl way of thinking.” (IMDb)
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“A Colorado family is thrust into the international media spotlight when they fight for the rights of their 6-year-old transgender daughter in a landmark civil rights case.” (IMDb)
“A Colorado family is thrust into the international media spotlight when they fight for the rights of their 6-year-old transgender daughter in a landmark civil rights case.” (IMDb)
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“A Colorado family is thrust into the international media spotlight when they fight for the rights of their 6-year-old transgender daughter in a landmark civil rights case.” (IMDb)
“A Colorado family is thrust into the international media spotlight when they fight for the rights of their 6-year-old transgender daughter in a landmark civil rights case.” (IMDb)
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“The Pearl is a cinematic and intimate profile of 4 transgender women that come out in their senior years. Set in logging towns in the Pacific NW the visceral, observational story explores what it means to leave behind living as a man.” (IMDb)
“The Pearl is a cinematic and intimate profile of 4 transgender women that come out in their senior years. Set in logging towns in the Pacific NW the visceral, observational story explores what it means to leave behind living as a man.” (IMDb)
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“The Pearl is a cinematic and intimate profile of 4 transgender women that come out in their senior years. Set in logging towns in the Pacific NW the visceral, observational story explores what it means to leave behind living as a man.” (IMDb)
“The Pearl is a cinematic and intimate profile of 4 transgender women that come out in their senior years. Set in logging towns in the Pacific NW the visceral, observational story explores what it means to leave behind living as a man.” (IMDb)
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“At a time when transgender people are banned from serving in the U.S. military, four transgender troops risking discharge fight to attain the freedom they so fiercely protect.” (IMDb)
“At a time when transgender people are banned from serving in the U.S. military, four transgender troops risking discharge fight to attain the freedom they so fiercely protect.” (IMDb)
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“At a time when transgender people are banned from serving in the U.S. military, four transgender troops risking discharge fight to attain the freedom they so fiercely protect.” (IMDb)
“At a time when transgender people are banned from serving in the U.S. military, four transgender troops risking discharge fight to attain the freedom they so fiercely protect.” (IMDb)
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“In Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story, former U.S. Navy SEAL Christopher Beck embarks on a new mission as Kristin Beck. Kristin's journey in search of th...Show more
“In Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story, former U.S. Navy SEAL Christopher Beck embarks on a new mission as Kristin Beck. Kristin's journey in search of the American ideals that she protected have a whole new meaning as she lives her life truthfully as a transgender woman.” (IMDb)
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“In Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story, former U.S. Navy SEAL Christopher Beck embarks on a new mission as Kristin Beck. Kristin's journey in search of th...Show more
“In Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story, former U.S. Navy SEAL Christopher Beck embarks on a new mission as Kristin Beck. Kristin's journey in search of the American ideals that she protected have a whole new meaning as she lives her life truthfully as a transgender woman.” (IMDb)
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“This documentary provides a complex and intimate portrait of jazz musician and transgender icon Billy Tipton. During the height of his popularity in the ...Show more
“This documentary provides a complex and intimate portrait of jazz musician and transgender icon Billy Tipton. During the height of his popularity in the 1940s and ‘50s, Tipton initially assumed an onstage male identity to pursue a career as a jazz pianist and eventually embraced a male identity in his private life and romantic relationships, making him an early icon of transmasculinity.” (AllMovie)
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“This documentary provides a complex and intimate portrait of jazz musician and transgender icon Billy Tipton. During the height of his popularity in the ...Show more
“This documentary provides a complex and intimate portrait of jazz musician and transgender icon Billy Tipton. During the height of his popularity in the 1940s and ‘50s, Tipton initially assumed an onstage male identity to pursue a career as a jazz pianist and eventually embraced a male identity in his private life and romantic relationships, making him an early icon of transmasculinity.” (AllMovie)
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“Framing Agnes turns the talk show format inside out in response to media's ongoing fascination with trans people. The film breathes life into six previously unknown stories from the archives of the UCLA Gender Clinic in the 1950s.” (IMDb)
“Framing Agnes turns the talk show format inside out in response to media's ongoing fascination with trans people. The film breathes life into six previously unknown stories from the archives of the UCLA Gender Clinic in the 1950s.” (IMDb)
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“Framing Agnes turns the talk show format inside out in response to media's ongoing fascination with trans people. The film breathes life into six previously unknown stories from the archives of the UCLA Gender Clinic in the 1950s.” (IMDb)
“Framing Agnes turns the talk show format inside out in response to media's ongoing fascination with trans people. The film breathes life into six previously unknown stories from the archives of the UCLA Gender Clinic in the 1950s.” (IMDb)
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“On the fringes of the Arctic Circle, native Icelander Veiga Grétarsdóttir strives to make history as the first person to paddle around the island, a two-...Show more
“On the fringes of the Arctic Circle, native Icelander Veiga Grétarsdóttir strives to make history as the first person to paddle around the island, a two-thousand-kilometer journey, while moving against the ocean's current. Veiga relies on a physical and mental fortitude born from her years-long personal struggles as a transgender woman, overcoming the prejudices of her isolated community, her battles with depression and suicide, and a complex web of emotions surrounding her spouse and children, in her quest to remain true to herself.” (AllMovie)
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“On the fringes of the Arctic Circle, native Icelander Veiga Grétarsdóttir strives to make history as the first person to paddle around the island, a two-...Show more
“On the fringes of the Arctic Circle, native Icelander Veiga Grétarsdóttir strives to make history as the first person to paddle around the island, a two-thousand-kilometer journey, while moving against the ocean's current. Veiga relies on a physical and mental fortitude born from her years-long personal struggles as a transgender woman, overcoming the prejudices of her isolated community, her battles with depression and suicide, and a complex web of emotions surrounding her spouse and children, in her quest to remain true to herself.” (AllMovie)
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“Marsha P. Johnson was a revolutionary trans activist, Stonewall instigator, Andy Warhol model, drag queen, prostitute, starving actress, and Saint, as well as a downtown NYC fixture from the 1960's through her too-soon demise in 1992.” (IMDb)
“Marsha P. Johnson was a revolutionary trans activist, Stonewall instigator, Andy Warhol model, drag queen, prostitute, starving actress, and Saint, as well as a downtown NYC fixture from the 1960's through her too-soon demise in 1992.” (IMDb)
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