A Dose of Life

Director: Aaron Chan and Lulu Gurney
Release Year: 2009

In the 2009 documentary A Dose of Life, co-directed by Aaron Chan and Lulu Gurney, we are invited into the intimate, often invisible world of what it means to live with HIV as a transgender Indigenous woman in Vancouver. It is a film rooted in raw truth and quiet strength, anchored by Lulu’s moving narration and her unapologetic honesty.

Schoolboy to Showgirl: The Alexandra Billings Story

Written and produced by: Alexandra Silets
Release Year: 2009

Schoolboy to Showgirl: The Alexandra Billings Story is a powerful documentary that chronicles the remarkable life of Alexandra Billings, a trailblazing transgender actress, singer, and teacher. Written and produced by Alexandra Silets, the film takes viewers on an intimate journey through Billings' multifaceted life, exploring her gender transition, battles with addiction, triumph over homelessness and HIV, and her ascent in the world of performance and activism. Part of the "Out & Proud in Chicago" series, the documentary premiered on PBS (WTTW-11) on June 19, 2009, and earned a nomination for an Emmy Award in the Best Documentary category. Through candid interviews and rare archival footage, the film offers a raw and deeply human portrait of one of the first openly transgender women to appear on American television.

La bocca del lupo

Director: Pietro Marcello
Release Year: 2009

La bocca del lupo (The Mouth of the Wolf), Pietro Marcello’s haunting 2009 documentary, is one of the most original love stories ever committed to film. Neither strictly documentary nor purely fiction, the film follows the 20-year romance between a rugged Sicilian ex-convict named Vincenzo Motta, known as Enzo, and Mary Monaco, a trans woman and former convict herself. It is a love that emerged from the shadows of Genoa’s prison walls and endured through decades of hardship, addiction, displacement, and poverty. Marcello weaves their lives into a poetic meditation not only on love but on time, class, gender, urban decay, and the aching pull of memory.

Transgender Basics

Director: Rosa Juel Nordentoft
Release Year: 2009

"Transgender Basics", a 2009 documentary directed by Rosa Juel Nordentoft, offers a profound and nuanced exploration of the complexities surrounding gender, sexual orientation, identity, and gender roles. The film features insightful discussions by two providers from The Center’s Gender Identity Project (GIP), who delve into the fundamental concepts of these themes, offering perspectives that challenge mainstream understandings of gender. The documentary also highlights the personal stories of three transgender individuals who share their unique journeys through the lens of their gender identity and experiences as genderqueer people. While the film is primarily aimed at service providers and individuals working with the LGBT community, its broader appeal lies in the way it illuminates the intricate layers of gender identity and the social constructs surrounding it, offering valuable insights to a wider audience.

Test de la vida Real

Director: Florencia P. Marano
Release Year: 2009

Test de la Vida Real (2009), directed by Florencia P. Marano, is a poignant and thought-provoking documentary that delves deep into the complexities of gender identity, using the lens of queer theory to challenge societal norms and conventions. This film is an exploration of human identity, gender, and the struggles faced by individuals who do not conform to conventional ideas of masculinity and femininity.