This story originally appeared on Them.
Cinema is inherently a place that people turn to seek representation. Watching a movie by yourself can be a quiet place for self-reflection and self-exploration and watching one in a group often leads to a discussion, so movies naturally are a place people turn to for affirmation that they are not alone in their experiences. I know for certain that watching movies alone in my room as a teen was central to my process of understanding my queer identity.
Though there is more known queer representation on screen than ever before, transmasculinity still goes, by and large, under portrayed and understood in television and film. Beyond sparing films that have been reclaimed by transmasc people such as She’s the Man or Juno, the transmasculine film canon isn’t exactly rife with an expansive set of stories and genres. Even with this being the case there are plenty of poignant watches available and the list is ever expanding.
Transmasc may feel like a limiting term for the following constellations of films, and while the gender experiences of the people and the characters within these films may not be strictly defined as transmasc or those of trans men, they all depict stories that are resonant to the transmasculine experience. This list includes heavy-hitting documentaries, experimental cinema, dramas and fluffier feel-good films and all of them are valuable watches for those of us looking to find resonance within the transmasc canon.
By Hook or By Crook (2001)
In this 2001 indie film directed by Silas Howard and Harry Dodge, protagonist and trans man Shy (Howard) ventures from his home in Kansas to San Francisco in pursuit of making a quick buck through petty crime. Upon his arrival, he encounters Valentine (Dodge), a strange and effervescent person who quickly becomes a trans brother in arms of sorts, guiding Shy through the ins and outs of city living. The two quickly bond and go into business together, along with Val’s girlfriend Billie, as they rob, trespass, and galavant their way through San Francisco. Shy and Val’s instant devotion to each other that scratches the base desire for connection with someone who you fundamentally share so much lived experience with. If you’re looking for a trans buddy comedy that scratches your itch for a 1990s and early aughties style indie film, look no further.
The Aggressives (2005)
This seminal documentary follows a group of “aggressives,” studs, dykes and butches in New York City from 1997 to 2004, largely gathering and meeting in the context of the city’s Ballroom scene. We witness frank, vulnerable, and expansive conversations on the spectrum and nuances of masc/transmasc experience that leave you feeling as if you’ve just had a late night chat with a friend. Interviews are interwoven with Ballroom footage which situates them as part of the city’s foundational, largely Black and Latine subculture. If you’re a fan of Paris is Burning, watching The Aggressives will only expand your understanding of New York City’s recent queer history. The film Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later, which revisits the lives and transition journeys of the original subjects, came out in 2023 and is worth a watch if you are interested in what the cast has done in the 20 years since the original film came out.
Cowboys (2020)
In this drama, a wildcard father, Troy, absconds with his 11-year-old trans son, Joe, in the midst of a fraught custody dispute with Joe’s transphobic mother. As the two slog through the Montana wilderness with the goal of crossing into Canada, we learn through a series of flashbacks the moments that led to the complicated decision for the two to flee together. The story’s engine is Troy’s unwavering love for Joe and that in combination with a thoughtful portrayal of a trans child creates a uniquely poignant film.
Adam (2019)
Set in the summer of 2006, Adam is a cis high school student who gets sent by his parents to live with his queer older sister, played by Drive-Away Dolls star Margarat Qualley, in an attempt to snap him out of a bout of teenage ennui. It’s a time capsule of a movie created at the pinnacle of the 2010s identity politics era that relentlessly slaps us with the discourses of the moment. In spite of being a movie literally about a cis guy misleading people in trans spaces, it is packed with transmasc actors whose performances are worth partaking in, such as Leo Sheng, Bobbi Salvör Menuez, and Maxton Miles Baeza.
Relish (2019)
Despite clashing deeply with each other, a group of troubled teens bond after escaping a private treatment facility together. The group is led by Kai, a trans guy who is masking his gender-related sorrows in swagger and cockiness. The film feels a bit like 2012 tumblr spat up on a script, but is sweet and ultimately well-intentioned. It’s somewhat unusual to see a starring role from a trans actor in a fairly unserious film and is worth it for that performance alone.
Shinjuku Boys (1995)
This documentary follows three onabe, a Japanese term transmasc person, who work at a host club in Tokyo. Interviews with the three subjects, Gaish, Kazuki, and Tatsu are interspersed with footage from the club where we see them play the part of the “ideal boyfriend” for the women who patronize the club. Gaish, Kazuki, and Tatsu discuss their relationships to their bodies, their partners, their families and their gender presentation in conversations that still feel relevant today. These relationships to both the self and the outside world may feel singular and isolating, but Shinjuku Boys connects us through time and context and reminds us that we share experiences with those who have come before us and those who will come after us.
Maggots and Men (2009)
This experimental film situates the 1921 Krondstadt Uprising in a trans utopia. Aside from its compelling artistic direction and creative vision, this film is made doubly unique as it centers over 100 trans actors and puts transmasculine bodies at center screen. It is stocked with playful, vibrant and explosive physical performances.
Mutt (2023)
Feña (Lío Meheil), a young trans man living in New York City, is bombarded with people from his life before he transitioned over the course of a single day. The first is his ex boyrfriend, the second is his runaway little sister, and the third is his estranged father. While these encounters, in addition to a series of microaggressions, all existing within the container of one day may make this film feel relentless and exhausting, it is a thoughtful reckoning with the changes we face in our relationships during transition.
They/Them (2022)
A summer camp slasher with a twist, given that the camp in question is a conversion therapy pragram, They/Them serves up an ensemble cast of queer actors led by Theo Germaine. The movie has no choice but to be self-aware with a title like They/Them and strives to emulate horror-comedy classics such as Scream and Friday the 13th and does so with a hearty (if heavy handed) dose of campiness.
Fanfic (2023)
A high school student comes to realize that he is trans after befriending and crushing hard on a cis gay guy. This film is unique in that it does not center tragedy and transphobia in a coming out story. The main character, Tosiek, is gay and part of his self-actualization is centered around his gayness which is a valuable differentiation from many narratives which frequently feature trans men pursuing cis women.
Close to You (2023)
In his first lead performance as a trans man, Elliot Page stars in this film as Sam, a trans man returning to his small hometown after four years living and learning about himself in a big city. It depicts all too relatable microaggressions from well meaning family members and a stab at rekindling an old relationship post-trasition. It is a slow, subtle depiction of navigating a world you left as a more realized iteration of yourself.
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