“A rewarding and informative hybrid film, which takes an academic gender studies foundation as a launchpad to explore the lived experiences of trans people then and now." - Wendy Ide, Screen International
"A richly heady, thoughtful documentary, constantly welcoming us in by reflecting on itself." - Nick Allen, RogerEbert.com
The pseudonymous Agnes was a pioneering transgender woman who participated in an infamous gender health study conducted at UCLA in the 1960s. Her clever use of the study to gain access to gender-affirming healthcare led to her status as a fascinating and celebrated figure in trans history. In this innovative cinematic exercise that blends fiction and nonfiction, director Chase Joynt uses Agnes’s story, along with others unearthed in long-shelved case files, to widen the frame through which trans history is viewed. Through a collaborative practice of reimagination, an all-star cast of trans performers, artists, and thinkers take on vividly rendered, impeccably vintage reenactments, bringing to life groundbreaking artifacts of trans history. This collective reclamation breaks down the myth of isolation among transgender history-makers, breathing new life into a lineage of collaborators and conspirators who have been forgotten for far too long.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - NEXT Innovator and Audience Awards, Sundance Film Festival
Official Selection - Hot Docs, Frameline Film Festival
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