Trans Shorts

Ben in Bloom

Documentaries succeed or fail insofar as their subjects are able to captivate their audiences. The titular Ben of Ben in Bloom possesses so much natural charisma and exuberance that the micro-documentary, clocking in at just fifteen minutes, effortlessly punches well above its weight. Heartstopper-esque animated detailing punctuates this coming-of-age story, detailing the joy, struggle, awkwardness, and camaraderie that defines queer adolescence in the midst of the United States’ increasingly repressive political climate. Offering a hopeful preview of the upcoming generation of LGBTQ+ movers and shakers, Ben in Bloom is a delightful little slice of queer life that leaves one hungry for seconds.

Wrong bathroom

Wrong Bathroom is an important film because it demonstrates to cis people how being in the bathroom as a trans person has the psychological stakes of a slasher movie.

Birthdays

Birthdays is an elegant and thought- provoking little piece of cinema. Bruno, the young protagonist, doesn’t quite fit in anywhere, having been (politely) excluded from both the all-boys birthday party and the all-girls birthday party that his classmates are attending this weekend. He describes himself as being “made of nothing” and is at his most relaxed and expressive in a cemetery he visits with his father on the way home from school. Bruno has no issue occupying between-spaces, straddling worlds in a way that perplexes his well-meaning parents. As they work to get him to fit neatly into the world they have created for him, Bruno is artfully pulling his parents (and the audience) into his world instead: What does it feel like to be what you are without trying to make yourself into anything else?

Zari

It will be difficult for me to do justice to the more nuanced aspects of Zari, as many of these are clearly specifically tied to Indian culture. However, the power of good cinema lies in its ability to transcend boundaries of space, time, and experience through relatable portrayals of core human experiences–Zari certainly achieves this. In a sari shop above the bustling streets of Delhi, main characters Zeyb and Neelu connect over their shared queerness, finding understanding and recognition during their brief encounter. Zari is an elegant testament to the ability of queer individuals to discover, connect with, and support one another under any circumstances.

Dragfox

The dominant cultural narrative around gender divergence of any kind has, for so long, been mired in shame, repression, and secrecy. I didn’t even question that the closing vignette of the adorable animated short Dragfox would see protagonist Sam hurriedly shuffling off the dress, herding the deviant little gender-affirming fox out the window, and shamefully hiding any evidence of self expression. I’m so glad I was wrong, and that this generation of children get to grow up with stories like Dragfox.