En tránsito

Director: Constanza Gallardo
Release Year: 2017

"En tránsito" (2017) is a poignant documentary directed by Constanza Gallardo that follows the lives of four transgender individuals as they navigate their daily struggles in a society that has yet to create a space for them. These individuals, Paty, Matías, Gis, and Mara Rita, share their deeply personal stories, revealing the hardships they face and their ongoing battle for dignity, love, and respect in a country like Chile, which continues to reject them. Through their experiences, "En tránsito" provides a powerful insight into the challenges faced by transgender people in Chile, a country where legal protections for gender identity remain insufficient and societal acceptance remains low.

 

The film highlights their fight against various forms of discrimination - whether at home, at school, in the workplace, or in broader social interactions. Despite these struggles, the film’s protagonists maintain their resilience, and their shared stories form a powerful collective narrative. The documentary is marked by a naturalistic and intimate approach, focusing on the everyday lives and experiences of its subjects. The film’s narrative is grounded in personal testimonies that reveal each individual’s journey - how they discovered their transgender identity, the difficulties they encountered along the way, and the relationships they built or lost. Central themes like depression, the specter of suicide, societal rejection, and the broken bonds with family members permeate the film, painting a picture of the emotional and psychological toll of living as a transgender person in Chile. At the heart of the film are the intersecting lives of Matías, Patricia, Gis, and Mara, who represent a broad spectrum of age, social background, and personal experience. Their stories are woven together to depict the deeply entrenched challenges transgender individuals face in Chile.

 

The documentary doesn’t shy away from presenting the struggles of navigating a gender transition in a hostile environment. The issues explored in "En tránsito" are multifaceted: struggles for legal recognition, access to medical treatments, and the broader social acceptance that remains elusive. Gallardo’s approach to the project was shaped by her own personal journey and her deep commitment to understanding the issues transgender people face. Initially, she had intended to focus on a single transgender individual for her thesis project. However, through her research and collaboration with the organization Trans Diversities (OTD), she realized that the experiences of multiple people, with varying backgrounds and experiences, would provide a more comprehensive portrayal of the trans experience in Chile. 

 

The inclusion of Matías, a young transgender boy, was particularly significant in Gallardo’s pursuit to capture the full scope of transgender realities, especially those involving minors. In the process of making the film, Gallardo’s bond with her subjects grew stronger, particularly with Paty and Gis, who were involved in OTD. For them, the documentary became a way to make their struggles visible to a wider audience. Despite the emotional toll that sharing their stories took, the desire to shed light on the transgender experience - and to contribute to the broader social conversation - was stronger. One of the film’s core aims is to depict the mundane realities of trans lives in a way that fosters empathy. Gallardo hoped that by showing transgender individuals in their everyday lives, audiences would recognize that they share similar experiences to anyone else: working, navigating family dynamics, forming relationships, and pursuing dreams. "En tránsito" is not just a documentary about a marginalized group; it is a film that seeks to break down barriers of misunderstanding and discrimination by emphasizing common human experiences. 

 

The film was released at a time when transgender issues were gaining more visibility in Chile, partly thanks to films like "A Fantastic Woman" and ongoing legal debates such as the fight for gender identity recognition. Gallardo sees this as a fortunate coincidence, as the conversations around gender identity and trans rights had entered the public discourse in a more significant way, providing the film with a wider context and relevance. "En tránsito" also delves into the complex relationships within marginalized communities. The film exposes instances of transphobia even among other sexual minorities, underscoring the deep-seated prejudices that exist within broader LGBTQ+ circles. The film portrays the pain and disillusionment felt by its characters as they face discrimination not only from the general public but also from those who, in theory, should be allies. This dissonance highlights the complexities of the struggle for acceptance and understanding. For Gallardo, the ultimate goal of "En tránsito" was not just to showcase these struggles, but to inspire empathy and social change. She wanted viewers to put themselves in the shoes of others, to understand the emotional and social costs of being transgender in a society that often marginalizes them. 

 

The documentary is a call for solidarity and respect, urging society to embrace diversity and recognize the humanity in everyone. Looking ahead, Gallardo is already working on her next project - a documentary that will take her between Chile and Mexico. It will explore the generational divide within a Chilean family, touching on issues like machismo, gender identity, and political ideologies. This project, tentatively titled "La distancia", continues her exploration of societal issues and personal identities, this time expanding her scope to include broader cultural and generational themes. In "En tránsito", Gallardo has created a film that not only highlights the personal struggles of its transgender subjects but also serves as a vital contribution to the ongoing conversation about gender identity, rights, and acceptance in Chile and beyond. It is a film that demands attention, empathy, and action, as it calls on audiences to reflect on the dignity of transgender individuals and the need for a more inclusive society.

 

via: youtube

 cinechile.cl and imdb

Image credits: YouTube