Unique en son genre

Directors: Ariane Mérillat and Bastien Mérillat
Release Year: 2018

Unique en son genre, the 2018 documentary by Ariane Mérillat and Bastien Mérillat, offers a thoughtful and intimate exploration of lives that do not fit neatly within the traditional boxes of “man” or “woman.” Rather than presenting transition as a simple before and after, the film invites viewers into the nuanced inner landscapes of five transgender people who navigate, question and sometimes transcend the binary conception of gender. What emerges is not a story about transformation alone, but one about authenticity, self-understanding and the courage to live beyond the expectations woven into society’s norms.

 

From the outset, the documentary foregrounds a question that feels simple but quickly proves anything but: what does it mean to be a man or a woman? While biology is often cited as the defining line, the film shows how everyday life is filled with countless unspoken rules and messages that shape our understanding of gender long before we can articulate these ideas ourselves. “Pink is for girls,” “Don’t cry, be a man,” “Women are more maternal, men are stronger.” These messages seep into childhood, dominate classrooms and playgrounds, and follow us into adulthood. They influence everything from clothing choices to career paths, from emotional expression to personal relationships. The film gently reveals how these stereotypes, though often unexamined, shape our lives with remarkable persistence.

 

Against this backdrop, Unique en son genre presents five individuals who challenge these imposed boundaries simply by being themselves. Each person shares moments of confusion, discovery and perseverance, reflecting on what it means to grow up with a gender that feels misaligned with the world’s expectations. Their stories unfold in different ways. Some recount realizing, at a young age, that the labels assigned to them did not match their inner reality. Others describe a slower, more complex reckoning, shaped by societal pressure, fear of rejection or the simple difficulty of articulating feelings that no one around them seemed able to understand. The film does not rush their narratives. It dwells instead on small, telling moments: a childhood memory that never felt right, a question asked in private, a first step taken toward living openly. Through these reflections, we see how gender is never simply a matter of biology, but a deeply personal experience shaped by culture, family, language and self-perception. The documentary’s strength lies in its refusal to simplify these journeys. Instead, it allows viewers to sit with the ambiguity and complexity that so often accompany them.

 

What makes the documentary compelling is the way each participant reflects not only on their own story but also on the broader structures that shape how society perceives gender. They speak of the weight of norms, of the fear that comes with deviating from them, and of the relief that follows when they finally step into a more truthful identity. Their doubts, questions and hopes are not portrayed as extraordinary struggles, but as deeply human experiences. Their reflections echo the universal desire to understand oneself and to be understood by others. In many ways, the documentary challenges viewers to reconsider the boxes they have inherited, to recognize how rigid gender expectations limit not only transgender people but everyone. The film’s title, Unique en son genre, carries a double meaning. It speaks to the uniqueness of each person, but it also suggests something beyond the categories of male and female, something that stretches across boundaries rather than fitting neatly within them. This idea resonates throughout the documentary. The participants articulate aspirations that go far beyond transitioning from one gender to another. They speak about living authentically, embracing fluidity, and imagining a world where gender is not a fixed script but a personal landscape.

 

The filmmakers’ approach is gentle and respectful. There is no sensationalism, no dramatic music, no attempt to portray transgender lives as tragedies or spectacles. Instead, the camera becomes a quiet witness, offering space for voices that are often overlooked or misunderstood. The tone remains reflective, almost meditative, allowing viewers to absorb the complexity and beauty of each story. As the film progresses, the five portraits come together to form a collective reflection on what it means to exist outside the binary. Their experiences differ, yet they share common threads: the challenge of being seen as who they are, the desire to live without fear, the determination to build a life that aligns with their inner truth. These aspirations become the heart of the documentary. They are not framed as exceptional; they are presented as aspirations that anyone might have. In this way, the film reminds us that the question of gender, though personal, is also universal.

 

By the end of Unique en son genre, the viewer is left with a sense of both clarity and openness. The film does not attempt to provide a single answer to the question of what it means to be a man or a woman. Instead, it suggests that the question itself may be too narrow. The lives portrayed in the documentary show that gender can be lived in countless ways, and that identity is not something to be confined but something to be discovered and shaped. Ultimately, Ariane and Bastien Mérillat’s documentary is a quiet yet powerful invitation to rethink the frameworks that have shaped our understanding of gender for generations. It encourages us to listen, to observe and to recognize the diversity of human experience. By portraying five transgender people with honesty and sensitivity, the film expands our understanding of what it means to be oneself. It celebrates the courage of those who cross the lines drawn by society and reminds us that each journey toward authenticity is, in its own way, a testament to the rich complexity of being human.

 

via: guidedoc.tv

Image credits: Vimeo