"Nos Corps Sont Vos Champs De Bataille," a 2021 documentary directed by Isabelle Solas, offers an intense and personal examination of the struggles faced by trans women in contemporary Argentina. In a country divided between deep conservatism and an unprecedented feminist wave, the film captures the political journeys and intimate lives of Claudia and Violeta, two trans women navigating their identities while fighting for their right to exist. The film does more than document; it sheds light on the power of resilience, the fight against patriarchy, and the role of the body as a political weapon. Set against the backdrop of a schizophrenic Argentina, where deeply entrenched conservatism collides with a growing feminist movement, Nos Corps Sont Vos Champs De Bataille follows the lives of Claudia and Violeta, trans women who openly identify as women, asserting their right to exist authentically.
The political and personal journeys of these women, intertwined with the feminist struggles, expose the deep-seated violence and discrimination they face - violence that is often visceral, not just social or political. Despite the harsh opposition from an entrenched, traditional world, Claudia and Violeta are determined to push back, believing that their fight is part of a larger revolution. They are not merely passive victims but active participants in reshaping the world around them. With unwavering energy, they endeavor to craft a new present, to love, and most importantly, to survive. Their lives challenge the boundaries of what it means to be a woman in a patriarchal world, as they confront violence and intolerance in ways that are both painful and powerful. The documentary opens with a harrowing courtroom scene that recounts the brutal murder of a trans person. This chilling act serves as a reminder of the rampant transphobia still pervasive in society, a reality that Solas skillfully intertwines with the larger narrative of systemic violence against transgender individuals. Far from being an isolated incident, the murder serves as a reflection of the broader societal conditions in Argentina, where transphobia remains a constant threat to the lives of trans women. Solas uses this disturbing event to create a portrait of a community - a network of activists fighting not just for the right to live but for the very right to exist.
Through the lives of Claudia and Violeta, we witness the creation of a surrogate family, a collective bound by the need to survive, to take their place in the public space, and to defend their humanity in the face of relentless adversity. The film’s primary focus is not merely on the rights of trans people but on the ways in which Claudia and Violeta, along with others in their community, defend those rights. The essence of their struggle is embodied in their very presence. Their bodies, which are often rejected by society, become instruments of resistance and political power. Rather than portraying them simply as victims of violence or heroes of a personal journey, Solas emphasizes how their lived experience - especially the way their bodies navigate the world - challenges social norms and creates a radical, ongoing conversation about gender, identity, and survival. Solas’s portrayal of these women is a homage to their power, their courage, and their resilience. By placing the camera in the center of their lives, she invites the audience to engage with them not as symbols but as living, breathing individuals.
The documentary allows Claudia and Violeta to speak for themselves, showing them not as passive subjects but as active agents in the ongoing feminist revolution. As Violeta poignantly states at the end of the film, “Stop exposing us, build with us.” This powerful message encapsulates the film's core aim: to shift from mere representation to collaboration, urging society to work alongside transgender individuals in solidarity rather than subjecting them to constant exposure and scrutiny. In an
interview with Cédric Lépine, Solas discusses the underlying political and feminist themes that drive her work. She explains that her interest in the political body has evolved over time, particularly as she explored feminist and gender-related questions. For Solas, Nos Corps Sont Vos Champs De Bataille is more than a political statement; it is a deeply personal inquiry into what it means to be a woman and how the idea of womanhood is challenged and redefined through the experiences of trans women. Solas also notes the importance of examining how the characters' fights are rooted in their bodies. Their very presence disrupts the societal expectations of what it means to be a woman, challenging the binary gender system. In a world where trans women are often seen as anomalies or as simply existing between worlds, Solas’s documentary highlights the strength and agency they derive from their fight for existence, not just acceptance.
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The film, set in the context of Argentina, reflects the global struggle for gender equality and the rights of marginalized groups. Solas contrasts the ongoing transphobic violence in Argentina with the strides made in terms of legal rights, such as the right to self-identify gender on official documents. This progressive change is juxtaposed with a history of systemic violence, showing how gains in legal rights do not necessarily lead to a shift in societal attitudes or safety for trans individuals. The documentary also draws a connection between the trans rights struggle and the larger feminist movements in Argentina, such as the Ni Una Menos movement against femicide and the fight for the legalization of abortion. These movements have gained international recognition for their courage and strength, particularly as they have brought attention to issues like gender-based violence and reproductive rights. Solas notes how the legacy of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, who fought for justice for the disappeared during Argentina's military dictatorship, resonates in the fight for trans rights. The film captures the intersectionality of these struggles, demonstrating how the feminist movement in Argentina - despite its own internal divisions - has always pushed for the liberation of all women, regardless of gender identity. The shared experiences of pain, loss, and resistance between these movements reflect the broad spectrum of feminist action in Argentina and the potential for solidarity between different marginalized groups.
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Initially, Solas envisioned the film as a collective portrait, a mosaic of different trans individuals navigating their lives within the larger political and social landscape. However, as she spent more time with Claudia and Violeta, she realized that focusing on their individual journeys would allow her to explore the nuances of their experiences more deeply. Through their personal stories, Solas is able to show the diversity within the trans community, highlighting the intersectionality of class, migration, and political ideology that shape their identities. Solas emphasizes that the personal and intimate moments of their lives are just as political as their activism. Every gesture, every decision, from how they present themselves to how they navigate relationships, is an act of defiance against a society that often tries to erase them. Solas's camera captures not just the political but the poetic dimension of their lives, giving space for their everyday actions to resonate with larger political themes. Through this nuanced portrayal, Solas challenges common stereotypes of trans women as either victims or superheroines. Instead, the documentary offers a more complex, layered understanding of their struggle. It is not about personal transformation or development, but about resistance to the social structures that seek to marginalize them. Solas critiques the societal refusal to acknowledge transgender individuals as full citizens, instead emphasizing that the true issue is not their transformation, but society's inability to accept them as they are.
In her
interview, Solas reflects on how Nos Corps Sont Vos Champs De Bataille redefines feminist thought in the context of today’s world. The film is an exercise in challenging how we view gender, identity, and power. Through the lived experiences of Claudia and Violeta, Solas calls into question the very nature of feminism - one that must be intersectional, one that must include all women, and one that must transcend traditional gender boundaries. Solas's film is not only a visual exploration of the lives of trans women but also a political and philosophical inquiry into the ways in which gender is socially constructed, how power is distributed, and how bodies - particularly those that exist outside the norms - become sites of struggle, survival, and resistance. In Nos Corps Sont Vos Champs De Bataille, Solas offers more than a documentary about trans women in Argentina. She provides a deep, poetic, and intellectual exploration of how gender, politics, and identity intersect, creating a powerful statement about the right to exist and the right to be seen - not as others define us, but as we define ourselves.
Image credits: YouTube
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