Educational Media Reviews Online

Gwen Haworth took a risk in asking six of the most important people in her life to document their thoughts and feelings about her transition from male to female. The risk appears to have been worth the benefit to Hayworth, her family and the audience of this independent award winning film. The transition took place over a period of years. The interviews are presented in sequence allowing the audience to experience the initial impact of Gwen’s coming out through the joy of knowing Gwen as a woman who feels congruency between her body and mind. The transition brought Gwen and her family closer and the story brings the audience closer to understanding the process of transgendered people.

The interviews contain straight forward discussion of how it was for each person to hear of Gwen’s history of pain, the decision to transition to female, and to be present as she processed the steps along the way. The interviews are sometimes tearful, contain many expressions of worry, concern, support and affection and are always very personal. Gwen’s parents talk about how important is was for them to have a son and the experience of losing him. Gwen talks about the loss of the woman she was married to and how they have been able to remain the best of friends. Gwen’s good male friend tells about wanting to be a support to Gwen but also how he wished for some time together that didn’t involve talking about breasts and hormones. Along with the losses, much has also been gained in honesty, freedom and acceptance.

There are some humorous moments, too, as those around Gwen discussed the details of how to behave like a girl. How much make up is good, what hair style works, and how girls walk cannot be accomplished with hormones and surgery. In fact, the physical aspects of Gwen’s transition are covered in some detail, including footage of her new breasts and genitalia, as well as discussions of the financial, psychological and medical permissions that need to be addressed prior to surgery. Three years after her surgery and two years after the filming of the interviews Gwen expresses how good it is to be in a place of love and not fear.

This film is artful in cinematography and sprinkled with clever animation. Bonus features include deleted scenes from the interviews, a scene selection feature and the option for English subtitles.

This film would be a good addition to a public library, a high school health library, medical library, or college or university library collection to support gender studies, human development, nursing, psychology, or sociology. Audience level: Mature High school to adult.

Awards :

• Best Documentary at the Tel Aviv Int'l LGBT Film Festival 2009
• Audience Award for Most Popular Canadian Film, and Women in Film and Television Artistic Merit Award, Vancouver International Film Festival 2007
• Audience Choice Award for Documentary, image+nation: Montreal International LGBT Film Festival
• Best of the Fest Audience Award, ReelOut9 Queer Film + Video Festival
• Runner Up - Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Film Competition, Cleveland International Film Festival
• Top 10 in the Volkskrant Audience Award, International Documentary Festival Amsterdam
• Audience Award for Best Documentary Film and Runner Up - Best Canadian Feature-Length Narrative or Documentary, Inside Out: Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival, Toronto, Canada
• Audience Award for Best Documentary and Riley-Metzger Jury Award for Best Documentary, Fairy Tales Film Festival, Calgary, Canada
• Audience Award for Best Documentary, Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Film Festival