Films We Love: Trans Awareness Week

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MUST-WATCH Films and Documentaries for Trans Awareness Week

By: Mayra

Here’s the premise: We ALL deserve to have our stories heard.

Trans Awareness Week is here, and to honour and celebrate it, I’m deep diving into film recommendations from my trans friends, creators, and a few of my all-time feel-good favorites. These films not only feature trans characters but were created and played by people within the trans community. Representation matters, but what matters even more is asking who gets to tell the story, what lens they’re using, and who that story is really for.

So, say bye Felicia! to The Danish Girl and dive into stories told by trans creators with honesty, empathy, and depth, each one expanding what trans cinema can be. Now, go grab a blanket, dim the lights, and let yourself be moved, surprised, maybe even transformed a little. 
 

1. Little Girl (2021)

I loved every second of this beautifully filmed documentary. Little Girl is an intimate portrait of 7-year-old Sasha and her family, who are living the complexities of a trans childhood with love and courage. Sasha it’s the bravest, most adorable little girl, and her mother is a true champion. Truly, a MUST see in my opinion!

2. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

Following the thread of tenderness and childhood, my next recommendation is this animated film by Satoshi Kon. Someone online once described it as a “charming urban fairytale”. The story follows three unhoused characters who find an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve and set out to reunite it with its parents. Hana, one of the three, is a trans woman written with such warmth and depth that it was groundbreaking for a 2003 anime. If you love films that blend serendipity with humour and complex characters, this one is for you!

3. Alice Junior (2020)

Alice Júnior it’s a coming-of-age story that refuses to be tragic. It kind of reminds me of Lady Bird, but Gen-Z coded. Alice, played by Anne Celestino Mota, is a trans teen influencer who has everything she’s ever wanted, and then, suddenly, she and her father need to move to a more conservative environment. The film is fast, funny, and unapologetically playful, balancing humour with the challenges of adolescence. It doesn’t ignore transphobia, but it never lets it steal the spotlight, because this time, the story belongs to a girl who already knows her worth.

4. Fanfik (2023)

I watched this movie as a recommendation from a friend last year, and I really enjoyed how sweet and uplifting it was. The film follows Tosiek, a trans teen who starts out as Toska (a teen whose coping mechanism is writing fanfiction) and slowly steps into a version of himself that feels right. The narrative plays with different tones (sometimes too many), but its strongest element is the way it centers everyday moments: friendships, awkward parties, supportive queer peers, and a father–child dynamic that feels honest rather than sensationalized. If you’re into coming-of-age stories that focus on identity with a lighter, more grounded touch and you don’t mind some tonal chaos along the way, Fanfik is an easy, worthwhile watch!

5. Monica (2022)

Monica depicts the journey of a woman returning home to help take care of her dying mother after two decades without seeing her family, who rejected and kicked her out after coming out as trans. This film’s greatest strength isn’t just its captivating cinematography; it’s the way it approaches Monica as a fully realized person navigating universal themes like family, abandonment, and the search for connection, rather than reducing her to her gender identity. This form of storytelling is one of a kind, and it may resonate with trans viewers who value seeing everyday experiences like caring for a parent represented without spectacle. If you’re drawn to slow-paced films with thoughtful storytelling and visual metaphors, this one will land for you.

6. Joyland (2022)

If you read Films to Watch this Pride Month, you might remember this film. Yes, I am obsessed with this one, and yes, I wish everyone could watch it and be obsessed too. Set in Lahore, Pakistan, Joyland follows Haider, the youngest son in a conservative family, whose life shifts when he joins a dance troupe led by Biba, a charismatic trans woman. It gives us family secrets, tension, iconic dance performances, a love story that challenges societal norms, and desire without ever slipping into cliché. It’s GORGEOUSLY shot, brilliantly acted, and filled with music that will make you feel alive.

7. No Ordinary Man (2021)

No Ordinary Man reframes the life of jazz musician Billy Tipton through a trans-led, empathetic lens. For decades, his story was told with sensationalism; this documentary corrects that by acknowledging and celebrating him as the caring man he was. The film’s structure (featuring trans actors interpreting and reflecting on Tipton) creates a powerful collective portrait of trans masculinity while giving much-needed historical context. If you’re into documentaries that reclaim harmful narratives and restore dignity to their subjects, this one deserves a chance.

8. Funeral Parade of Roses (1969)

Funeral Parade of Roses is, one of those films that makes you question how something this BOLD existed in the ’60s!! Shot in Tokyo’s queer underground, this piece of art feels like an experimental documentary created to paint a vibrant portrait of gender fluidity long before the world had language for it. What makes it especially beloved in the trans and queer community is its authenticity. Toshio Matsumoto cast real people from gay host clubs, giving the film a lived-in honesty that is still relevant today.

If you’re into queer film history, experimental cinema, or raw stories that were decades ahead of their time, you need to watch this ASAP!

9. I Saw The TV Glow (2024)

I Saw the TV Glow captures that strange, electric feeling of adolescence when you’re figuring out who you are, and realizing the life you’ve been given doesn’t quite fit.

The story leans into quiet, interior moments rather than spelling everything out for the audience, giving it a nuanced, deeply personal perspective on identity and isolation. Layered with 90s nostalgia, it’s a portrait of queer adolescence that feels intimate, chaotic, and incredibly familiar for anyone who’s ever found themselves in the margins and searching for themselves through media.

10. The Stroll (2023)

The Stroll is a sensitive and essential look at the lives of trans sex workers in NYC’s Meatpacking District, told by the community itself. Co-directed by Kristen Lovell, a Black trans woman who lived this world firsthand, the film brings authenticity and nuance to stories often misrepresented or erased in mainstream media. I loved that, beyond documenting hardship, the documentary highlights resilience, joy, and the sisterhood that sustained these women for decades. I’m sure this inspiring film will inspire, deeply move, and have a huge impact on whoever watches it!

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Trace Lysette, star of Monica (2022), said in an interview:

"With over 500 pieces of legislation being introduced this year alone, making trans people’s lives harder, it is so important to try to see our humanity. Because when you can relate to something or someone, you can see — and they can see — that we are all connected and that we are not a threat. We just want to live, thrive, have family, love, and be productive members of society. I just hope people watch it even if it’s not their normal cup of tea."

I hope that even if you’re not part of the trans community, these films can inspire you to watch with an open heart, expand your awareness, and step into the lives of trans people with empathy and curiosity.

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