22 minutes that'll wreck your assumptions about 1983 Venezuela.
Trans is a 1982 Venezuelan documentary short film that offers an intimate look into the lives of a group of trans women and drag performers in Caracas, exploring their experiences in a society marked by transphobia and homophobia. Through interviews and performances, the documentary highlights the resilience and dignity of these women in the face of widespread discrimination and violence. Premiering at the Venezuelan National Cinematheque in 1982, Trans is considered a pioneering work in the representation of the trans community in Latin American cinema.
Direction
Uncompromising vérité that refuses to exploit.
Production
Shot under constant threat of police violence.
Editing
Performance footage cuts straight to soul.
Director
Mateo Manaure Arilla
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during Venezuela's oil boom, when LGBTQ existence was literally criminalized—this film's existence is itself an act of civil disobedience.
Directors smuggled final prints to Europe in diplomatic pouches after local labs refused processing.
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