Trans List (The)

The(ir) Blurb...

At one point during The Trans List, a riveting documentary group portrait, actress Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black) stares directly into the camera and emphatically asserts, “My voice matters. My truth matters.” These words, simple yet potent, remind viewers why documentaries like the The Trans List are so vital. While transgender narratives have recently become more common within the pop culture landscape, it’s rare that we actually get to hear transgender people voicing their own stories, telling their own truths.

The Trans List foregrounds the lived experiences of its subjects, who are also some of the most fascinating and accomplished individuals of today (or any day), including Janet Mock, Kylar Broadus, Caroline Cossey, Buck Angel, Nicole Maines, Amos Mac, Laverne Cox, Bamby Salcedo, Shane Ortega, Alok Vaid-Menon, and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. These are activists, artists, athletes, models, porn stars, military personnel, and entrepreneurs. Their stories extend beyond surface explanations of identity to deeper realities of politics and pleasure, telling captivating tales of love, desire, family, prejudice, and rebellion—from Cossey’s difficult days as an outed “James Bond Girl” to Griffin-Gracy’s striking memories of the Stonewall Riots.

Directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, The Trans List follows other “list” documentaries, including The Out List (Frameline37) and the award-winning The Black List. As in these earlier works, Greenfield-Sanders wisely gives his charismatic subjects center stage while co-producer Janet Mock skillfully helms interviews. Boasting an impressive assemblage of transgender luminaries, The Trans List highlights the distinct individuality and diverse outlooks of its subjects, while simultaneously evoking the collective power of an indomitable community.

— Curran Nault