Travesía Travesti

Director: Nicolás Videla
Release Year: 2021

Title in English: Travesti Odyssey

Travesía Travesti (2021), directed by Nicolás Videla, emerges as a powerful and poignant documentary that intertwines the personal, artistic, and political history of the trans and travesti community in Chile. As the final performance of the cabaret Travesía Travesti coincided with the social explosion in Chile on October 18, 2019, this film seeks to preserve the memory of the individuals who formed part of this avant-garde artistic collective. In doing so, the documentary navigates themes of friendship, betrayal, identity, love, conflict, and the violence that has shaped the lives of the trans community in Chile.

 

The documentary is not just a record of the cabaret’s impact, but also an essential historical document that brings to light the voices of the marginalized trans and travesti performers, celebrating their resilience and contributions to the Chilean artistic landscape. What makes Travesía Travesti exceptional is not only its representation of personal journeys, but also its dedication to preserving the memory of an often overlooked community. It addresses the lack of a historical archive for the trans and travesti community, a gap that has left many of its heroes and heroines forgotten. This is a film that creates a space for collective memory, reclaiming narratives that have been silenced for too long. 

 

The idea for Travesía Travesti began to take form in the aftermath of the final performance of the cabaret Travesía Travesti, which was held just as the Chilean social protests erupted. In a volatile political moment, when millions of Chileans took to the streets to demand social change, the performers of the cabaret sought to reaffirm their artistic and political presence, confronting the violence and discrimination directed at their community. As the performers’ efforts to regroup their fractured ensemble became a symbolic act of defiance and solidarity, the film began to take shape. 

 

Nicolás Videla, better known in the drag scene as Amnesia Letal, who is also an integral part of the Travesía Travesti collective, used his directorial skills to capture not just the raw energy of the cabaret performances, but also the intense emotional and political landscape that framed these performances. His role as both director and one of the film’s central figures gives Travesía Travesti an authenticity and depth that would not have been possible without his personal involvement. Videla's background in the travesti and drag queen scene, where he has experienced first-hand the struggles and triumphs of the community, is key to the film’s insightful exploration of identity, art, and activism. 

 

At the core of the documentary are the lives and stories of the performers, including Anastasia María Benavente, Maracx Bastardx, Madame De Papel, Sofía Devenir, Noelia Le Shala, and Videla (Amnesia Letal). The film delves into their personal experiences, relationships, and the conflicts that arose within the collective, as well as their broader struggles against systemic oppression. The film’s narrative is driven by the tension between unity and division within the group, as well as their efforts to navigate personal differences while continuing to fight for their place in society. 

 

One of the most poignant aspects of the film is the relationship between Anastasia María Benavente and Maracx Bastardx, two key figures in the collective whose long-standing personal and professional bond eventually deteriorates. The fractures within their relationship symbolize broader tensions within the trans and travesti community in Chile, offering a complex portrayal of solidarity, competition, and the internalized violence that many trans individuals experience. The documentary does not shy away from showing these fractures, which only serve to make the film more relatable and human. It captures the complexity of navigating relationships within a marginalized community, where personal and professional lines often blur. 

 

One of the key aspects of Travesía Travesti is its dedication to creating a trans-driven archive, something that is sorely lacking in Chile and many other parts of the world. In a society where trans identities have often been ignored, criminalized, or sensationalized, the film takes on the task of documenting the lived experiences of the trans and travesti community, in their own words and through their own lens. This is particularly significant in a context where there is no comprehensive historical record of the contributions of trans individuals to the cultural and political fabric of the nation. 

 

A major influence on this documentary is Munique Fonguebertt, a pioneering figure in the Chilean drag and transformist scene, whose work has been largely forgotten. Benavente, a disciple of Fonguebertt, is shown in the documentary as one of the key figures fighting to preserve the legacy of this artist, who remains largely unknown to younger generations. The film highlights Fonguebertt’s significant influence on the Chilean drag scene, offering a form of homage that highlights the importance of preserving and celebrating the history of trans and travesti artists. Through archival footage of Fonguebertt’s television appearances and performances, the film presents a historical dimension to the trans community’s creative expression. 

 

While Travesía Travesti is primarily an artistic and personal documentary, it is also an activist film that addresses the violence and discrimination faced by trans and travesti individuals in Chile. The community’s struggles are not limited to social and political issues but also include profound emotional and psychological trauma, particularly in the face of the constant risk of violence, both physical and epistemic. Transphobia, state violence, and the silencing of their stories have created a hostile environment where many trans people face limited opportunities for survival, including economic marginalization and lack of access to healthcare. 

 

One of the key contributions of Travesía Travesti is its examination of what has been called "epistemic violence," a concept that refers to the way in which knowledge about trans people has been constructed from a cisgender perspective. This violence silences the voices of trans individuals and renders their lives and experiences invisible. By using the film as a tool to create a collective archive, the documentary empowers trans and travesti individuals to speak their truth and define their own narratives, without the distorting lens of cisnormativity. 

 

The film has garnered attention not only in Chile but also on the international stage. After its debut at the prestigious Festival Internacional de Cine de Valdivia, the film went on to feature at numerous international film festivals, offering audiences around the world a rare glimpse into the trans and travesti culture of Chile. The film has been particularly resonant in European countries, where many of the issues faced by the trans community in Latin America are no longer as pressing. However, as Anastasia Benavente reflects in the film, the global interest in the struggles of Chile’s trans community is indicative of the universal need for recognition, dignity, and rights for all marginalized groups. 

 

The film’s exploration of trans issues also aligns with broader global conversations around gender identity, reproductive rights, and the legacy of state-imposed violence. In particular, the documentary made a significant impact when it premiered in the Netherlands, coinciding with the Dutch government’s apology to citizens who were forced to undergo sterilization in order to change their gender identity. This shared history of forced sterilization echoes the challenges that many trans people continue to face, including the right to self-identify and the recognition of their right to family and parenthood. 

 

Travesía Travesti is much more than a documentary about a cabaret or a group of performers - it is a vital piece of historical documentation, a radical act of reclaiming memory, and a testament to the strength and resilience of the trans and travesti community in Chile. Through its intimate portrayal of the performers and their collective, it invites audiences to reflect on the intersections of art, activism, and personal identity while grappling with the harsh realities of systemic discrimination and violence. 

 

Ultimately, Travesía Travesti is a celebration of survival, creativity, and solidarity. It serves as a call to action to continue the work of building a world where trans and travesti people are recognized, celebrated, and given the opportunity to tell their own stories, free from the constraints of cisnormative structures. Through the lens of the collective and their cabaret, the film underscores the power of art as a means of resistance, healing, and transformation in the fight for trans and travesti rights.

 

via: youtube

wikipedia and agenciapresentes.org

Image credits: YouTube