Caer

Director: Nicola Mai
Release Year: 2021

Title in English: Caught

"Caer" (2021): A Bold Documentary by Nicola Mai that Confronts the Struggles of Transgender Latina Sex Workers Caer (2021), directed by Nicola Mai, is a collaborative experimental documentary that blends both fictional and nonfiction filmmaking techniques to give voice to the struggles faced by transgender Latina women working in the New York City sex industry. The film offers a powerful exploration of the challenges these women encounter, particularly as they navigate their lives within a system that criminalizes their existence and continuously subjects them to harassment. 

 

This groundbreaking documentary is the result of a close collaboration between Nicola Mai and the TRANSgrediendo Intercultural Collective, a grassroots group based in Queens, New York, that advocates for the rights of transgender Latina migrant women in sex work. The collective’s involvement is crucial to the authenticity of the film. Members of TRANSgrediendo not only helped shape the documentary's script but also worked closely with Nicola Mai during the editing process. Through this collaborative effort, Caer captures the real-life experiences of two transgender Latina women, Rosa and Paloma, as they navigate a world where they are constantly at risk of arrest and violence. The film explores the systemic discrimination that transgender sex workers face in New York, where prostitution is a criminal offense. Rosa and Paloma's stories are told against a backdrop of interactions with friends, colleagues, lovers, lawyers, and New York City police officers, who frequently arrest transgender sex workers. As one of the final scenes in the film powerfully reveals, Rosa states, “Our existence revolves around getting caught (“caer” in Spanish).” Caer is more than just a documentary - it is a hybrid of fiction and reality that presents a nuanced portrayal of the transgender migrant sex worker community. 

 

The documentary’s structure allows the audience to witness fictionalized scenes of Rosa and Paloma's experiences while also seeing the reactions of members from the TRANSgrediendo Collective who are watching the events unfold on screen. This dynamic interaction gives the film an emotional depth and authenticity that is rarely seen in traditional documentaries. One particularly striking moment occurs when Paloma’s boyfriend orders her to fetch food for him, only to leave her stranded and run off when she is arrested. One of the viewers, a member of the collective, reacts by expressing how she would strike him with a frying pan for his betrayal. Mai’s approach allows her to delve deeper into the “truths” of the transgender women featured in the documentary. By interweaving acted scenes with the real-time reactions of the collective’s members, Caer offers a fuller understanding of the complex realities of sex work, human trafficking, and the personal experiences that shape the lives of transgender women in the sex industry. 

 

Through the stories of Rosa and Paloma, the film highlights not only the violence and discrimination that drove them to sex work but also the empowerment and community they find within it. Rosa, for example, reflects on how she embraces her work despite the hatred that initially pushed her into the field, while Paloma’s journey from Mexico is marked by trauma, violence, and the constant threat of arrest. One of the film's most compelling strengths is its portrayal of the warm, supportive communities that transgender Latina women form, even in the face of racism, transphobia, and systemic violence. The women in Caer are not simply portrayed as victims; instead, they are shown as resilient individuals who have built strong, makeshift families. In these tight-knit communities, older transgender women act as mentors, guiding younger members through the dangers they face in their daily lives. The relationships between the women are filled with both flamboyance and solidarity, showcasing a sisterhood that offers emotional support and camaraderie in a world that seeks to tear them down. 

 

From the very beginning of the film, Mai confronts the harsh realities faced by transgender Latina sex workers in New York City. In one of the opening scenes, plainclothes police officers are shown surveilling a transgender Latina woman on the street. After confirming her identity, they arrest her as she approaches her home. The interaction is a striking example of the everyday police harassment and surveillance that these women endure, a theme that recurs throughout the film. This constant presence of the police forms a backdrop to the struggles that Rosa and Paloma experience as they navigate their lives within a criminalized and hostile environment. Mai’s film is not just a commentary on the criminalization of sex work, but also a challenge to mainstream narratives that often portray migrant sex workers as victims of human trafficking. Mai, who has been researching the lives of migrant sex workers for over 20 years, emphasizes that many individuals in the sex work industry are not victims but rather make a conscious choice to enter the field because it offers better economic opportunities than other forms of labor. While Caer does not shy away from the legal challenges and dangers that sex workers face, it also sheds light on the agency that these women exercise in their decision to work in the sex industry. 

 

The documentary also tackles the complex question of "trafficking versus choice" in a world where migrant sex workers are often viewed through a lens of victimhood. Mai asserts that far more attention should be given to the labor rights of migrant sex workers rather than framing them solely as victims in need of rescue. In the context of this criminalized profession, Caer urges viewers to reconsider the impact of decriminalizing sex work and the positive effects it could have on the lives of workers. Mai highlights the importance of policies that protect sex workers’ rights, pointing to the advocacy of organizations like Amnesty International, which has endorsed the decriminalization of sex work between consenting adults. Such a policy, Mai notes, would help reduce stigma, improve safety, and ensure better health outcomes for those in the industry. Throughout the film, the intersection of migration, colonialism, and climate change serves as an undercurrent, as many of the transgender women in Caer come from countries that have been devastated by these forces. For these women, the United States represents a place of potential safety, but in reality, it often becomes a land of further exploitation. 

 

The film underscores the complex experience of queer and trans migrants who come to the U.S. seeking refuge but find themselves forced into illegal work in order to survive. This dangerous work is made all the more perilous by the constant threat of police surveillance and immigration raids. Caer stands out as a unique and courageous film that takes a fresh, collaborative approach to storytelling. By involving the TRANSgrediendo Collective at every stage of production, Nicola Mai has created a documentary that doesn’t simply tell the stories of transgender Latina sex workers, but actively engages with their lived experiences. Through this process, the film invites audiences to reconsider their assumptions about sex work, migration, and the criminalization of marginalized communities. In doing so, Caer not only tells the story of its protagonists but also challenges broader societal issues surrounding labor, human rights, and justice.

 

via: youtube

 nicolamai.org and imdb and straight.com

Image credits: YouTube