Transvestities Also Cry

Director: Sebastiano d’Ayala Valva
Release Year: 2006

Original title: Les travestis pleurent aussi

In the heart of Paris, tucked away in a narrow side street near the bustling Place de Clichy, there exists a hidden world - a world of darkness, vulnerability, and resilience. This is where the lives of marginalized Ecuadorian transgender women unfold in Sebastiano d’Ayala Valva’s poignant 2006 documentary, Les Travestis Pleurent Aussi (Transvestites Also Cry). The film takes us behind the doors of seedy hotels, beneath the glitz of Parisian landmarks, and into the lives of trans sex workers who live on the fringes of society. What d'Ayala Valva captures is not just the pain of these individuals, but also their strength, humor, and unyielding desire for a better life.

 

The documentary centers on two Ecuadorian trans women, Romina and Mia, who live and work in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris’ notorious park where many transgender women engage in sex work. As illegal immigrants, they are forced into a life of exploitation, navigating both the challenges of their marginalized gender identities and the harsh realities of their status as undocumented migrants in France. The narrative unfolds in two small, dingy hotels located in a back alley, a stone’s throw away from the popular tourist destinations of Place de Clichy. These hotels, with their dilapidated interiors, provide a temporary refuge for the women who work the streets of Paris. Their faces are etched with hardship, their lives deeply affected by the stigma of their profession and their gender identities. Yet, through d'Ayala Valva's lens, these spaces also become places where their stories of joy, sorrow, and survival are told.

 

One of the central figures of the documentary is Romina, a transgender woman who embodies a complex mix of resilience and vulnerability. Romina, exuberant and sharp-witted, seems to have found a certain level of success and stability through sex work. She has managed to pay for gender reassignment surgeries and now lives in a modest apartment, complete with her dog, in a city that is far from kind to her. Romina’s journey is one of profound contradictions: she appears to have achieved a semblance of the life she dreamt of - living as a woman, with a housewife’s routine, and some semblance of financial security. However, her life remains precarious, shaped by the limits of what prostitution can provide. Her success, as she often humorously points out, is both an accomplishment and a tragic irony. Romina’s story represents both the empowerment and the exploitation that often coexist in the world of sex work. She revels in her ability to pay for medical procedures that affirm her gender identity, but this achievement is overshadowed by the constant threats of violence, police harassment, and the instability of her life as an undocumented migrant. Romina’s narrative is rich with moments of lightness - her playful demeanor and ironic wit serve as a coping mechanism in a world that has rejected her. However, Romina is acutely aware that the happiness she has carved out for herself remains fragile. The tension between her dreams and the realities of her life is one of the most compelling aspects of the film. Her journey reflects the profound contradictions that so often define the lives of trans sex workers: a constant balancing act between survival, dignity, and despair.

 

In contrast to Romina’s seemingly settled life, Mia, also known as "Mujeron" (the “Big Woman” in Spanish), is a former boxer who has turned to prostitution as a means of survival. Mia's story is marked by a deep sense of sacrifice. She chose this life not out of desire but out of necessity, motivated by the need to send money back to her family in Ecuador. In this sense, her journey is one of survival, of doing whatever it takes to support her loved ones, even if that means enduring the pain and degradation that comes with being a trans sex worker. Mia is a powerful figure - a physical presence shaped by her past as a boxer. Yet beneath her tough exterior lies a woman deeply affected by the harshness of her life. She is isolated, haunted by a sense of loneliness that permeates much of her existence. Mia’s relationship with Romina provides a contrast between the two women’s coping mechanisms. While Romina finds comfort in her small but stable life, Mia remains trapped in the cycle of survival, longing for a better future but unsure how to escape the brutal reality of her present. Mia’s tragic story underscores the precariousness of life for trans migrants in Paris. It is a life of constant peril, marked by exploitation, police brutality, and the daily trauma of living in a city that offers little support for people like her. While Mia dreams of a different life, she continues to face the grim reality of the streets, forced to rely on prostitution to make ends meet.

 

Although Romina and Mia come from different backgrounds and have very different approaches to their lives in Paris, their stories are intertwined. Both women are driven by a powerful sense of survival and resilience. Romina's sense of humor and optimism contrasts sharply with Mia's more fatalistic outlook, yet both women share the same sense of loss and the same vulnerability. Their lives exist in parallel, as they both strive for acceptance and recognition in a society that seeks to marginalize them. Their contrasting personalities and ways of coping with their struggles give the documentary a rich emotional depth. We see moments of lightheartedness between the two women, where they share stories, laugh, and support each other. But these moments are fleeting, often interrupted by the harshness of their circumstances. The film doesn’t shy away from showing the pain that both Romina and Mia endure. At times, their joy is overshadowed by their longing for something more - something beyond the physical and emotional toll of their work. As the documentary progresses, the two women’s stories converge towards a tragic, inevitable conclusion. Both Romina and Mia’s lives are filled with contradictions, and the film captures these contradictions with tenderness and raw honesty. Les Travestis Pleurent Aussi reveals the complexities of gender identity, migration, and survival in ways that are both intimate and universal.

 

Les Travestis Pleurent Aussi is not just a documentary about two trans women from Ecuador - it is a meditation on survival, identity, and the deep human desire for belonging. The film is at once lighthearted and tragic, constantly oscillating between moments of joy and despair. The constant tension between Romina’s optimism and Mia’s fatalism creates a powerful emotional landscape, one that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. At its core, d’Ayala Valva’s film is about more than just the lives of two individuals - it is a reflection of the marginalization of trans people, especially transgender migrants, and the ways in which society continues to turn a blind eye to their suffering. The film is an unflinching portrayal of the hardships that trans sex workers face, but it also highlights the incredible strength they exhibit in the face of adversity. Ultimately, Les Travestis Pleurent Aussi reminds us that behind every marginalized individual lies a story of resilience and survival, of love and loss, and of the hope that one day, the world might see them as they truly are: human beings deserving of respect, dignity, and justice. Through the lens of Romina and Mia’s stories, d’Ayala Valva captures not just the struggles of trans sex workers, but the broader struggles of all those living on society’s edges.

 

Les Travestis Pleurent Aussi is a documentary that leaves an indelible mark on its viewers. It is a sensitive and unapologetic portrayal of two transgender women who navigate the painful and precarious intersection of migration, gender identity, and sex work. The film brings their lives into focus, not as victims, but as survivors - complex, flawed, and full of hope in the face of immense challenges. Their stories remind us of the human cost of marginalization and the power of resilience, love, and community in overcoming it.

 

 

via: imdb

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Image credits: YouTube