She's a Boy I Knew

She's a Boy I Knew is a transgender documentary with a major twist: the filmmaker is not only transgedered herself, she is the subject, giving a much closer first-person narrative than any other similar work I've seen. Gwen Haworth began life as Steven, and she uses family photos and videos and interviews to explore the emotional dimensions of her transition, not only in her life but in the lives of the people around her. Steven's wife Malgosia is supportive, but she fell in love with a man and isn't sure she wants to stay married to a woman, Gwen's father speaks of his feelings of losing a son even as he embraces his new daughter, but Gwen's friend Roari is a champion of acceptance and support. Gwen herself is both an interesting subject and a capable filmmaker, creating a compelling documentary. MUST SEE

She's a Boy I Knew, dir. Gwen Haworth, 2007 Canada 70 min.

Technorati tags: She's a Girl I Knew, Frameline32, LGBT Film