A good starting point is this Netflix documentary, in which multiple trans personalities reflect on how Hollywood’s conventional and highly mediatic portrayals of the community have shaped not only how others perceive trans people but also how they see themselves.
Thanks to its Academy Award win for Best Foreign Language Film, the Chilean production A Fantastic Woman (Una mujer fantástica) has become one of the most widely recognized trans representations in recent years. Starring trans actress Daniela Vega, the film navigates themes of surrealism and irony while highlighting the deep injustices and discrimination that the trans community continues to face today.
Crossing, a contemporary of Emilia Pérez, offers a more empathetic portrayal of the trans community. The story follows a Georgian woman who embarks on a journey to Turkey to fulfill her late sister’s last wish: to bring home her estranged niece, a trans woman who fled after being rejected by her family. Accompanied by a neighbor in Istanbul, she searches for her niece with the help of marginalized sex workers and a trans lawyer.
As a member of the Gay Liberation Front and a key figure in the Stonewall riots, Marsha P. Johnson was an icon of the LGBTQIA+ community in New York and beyond, an activist for trans rights and the fight against AIDS. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson is a documentary exploring her life and activism, cut short by her mysterious death in 1992—initially ruled a suicide but later reopened for investigation due to community protests. The film highlights the systemic violence that LGBTQIA+ people continue to face.
Directed by Anora), Tangerine is an independent film acclaimed for its empathetic portrayal of trans life on the fringes of Los Angeles. The story follows a trans sex worker seeking revenge against her cheating boyfriend and pimp. While it has been criticized for a somewhat exploitative perspective, the film presents more fully developed characters than many previous trans-themed productions.