Lola

Director: Robin Macdonald
Release Year: 2019

Robin Macdonald’s powerful documentary Lola is more than a portrait of a transgender woman’s transition. It is a testimony of endurance, familial love, loss, and the desperate pursuit of a life lived openly and without fear. At the heart of this story is Lola, a young Iranian woman who was born male and forced to flee her homeland to survive as her authentic self. Her journey, captured with compassion and cinematic grace, is not only geographically vast, stretching from Iran to Turkey to Canada, but emotionally seismic, shaking the foundations of identity, belonging, and survival in a world that often insists she should not exist.

Big Brother: Eden Yohanan

Director: Big Brother (3rd season of HaAh HaGadol)
Release Year: 2019

Eden Yohanan, a 29-year-old model and actress from Tel Aviv, has become a prominent figure in the Israeli entertainment industry, known not only for her career but also for her journey as a transgender woman. Born in Afula under the name Aviad, Eden first gained public attention in 2013 when she participated in the reality show "Plastic Dreams" (חלומות מפלסטיק), where she shared her personal story, opening up about her transition and the challenges she faced. Her visibility grew further later that same year when she appeared on the television series "The Life of Avi the Singer" (החיים של אבי הזמר), playing the role of a transgender woman, a role that mirrored her own experience in many ways.

TEDx Talks: Teddy Quinlivan

Show: TEDx Talks
Title: The Power of Revealing Your Darkest Secret
Release Year: 2019

Teddy Quinlivan’s TEDx Talk titled "The Power of Revealing Your Darkest Secret," delivered on 29 July 2019, is a profound reflection on vulnerability, self-acceptance, and the journey of coming out. Through her personal story, Quinlivan takes the audience on an emotional ride, highlighting the struggles of keeping a secret and the transformative power of revealing it. Her talk not only focuses on her own experience as a transgender woman in the high-fashion industry but also serves as an inspiring message about the importance of embracing one’s truth and identity.

Ladli

Director: Sudipta Kundu
Release Year: 2019

Title in English: Adorable Girl

"Ladli," a poignant 2019 documentary directed by Sudipta Kundu, takes viewers into the world of a transgender woman whose life is marked by both profound hope and profound struggle. At the core of the documentary is Ladli, an optimistic soul in search of a sense of belonging in a world that often fails to accept her for who she truly is.

Apenas Garota

Director: Danilo Facioli
Release Year: 2019

"Apenas Garota" (translated as "Just a Girl") is a deeply poignant and thought-provoking documentary released in 2019, directed by Danilo Facioli. This Brazilian film delves into the lived experiences of three transgender women - Denise Oliveira, Hannah Ribeiro, and Letícia Corrêa - who bravely share their personal stories of struggle, resilience, and the pursuit of identity in a society that is often intolerant and prejudiced against gender diversity. The documentary opens with a striking image: a phrase written on the wall of a feminine bedroom, decorated with typical items such as a teddy bear, bags, and a doll. The words, “Não pareço, eu sou mulher,” ("I don't look like it, but I am a woman"), were penned in red lipstick by a transgender woman. This initial scene sets the tone for a documentary that blends personal narratives with visual metaphors, illustrating the complex and often painful realities of being a transgender woman in Brazil.