In a powerful depiction of the ongoing struggles faced by undocumented transgender individuals in Los Angeles, the feature film “Trans Los Angeles” directed by Kase Peña intertwines personal stories with broader social issues.
The film begins with a harrowing scene in which Mayela, a transgender Salvadoran woman portrayed by Fernanda Celarie, witnesses an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at the pupusería where she works.
From behind a car, Mayela watches as her co-workers, including another trans Central American woman, are handcuffed and taken away.
“I had so much hope when I arrived to this country,” Mayela reflects in her later prayers, expressing the intense fear and despair faced by many undocumented people.
This poignant moment was woven into the narrative prior to the recent surge in ICE raids and protests in L.A., highlighting the persistent reality of fear within immigrant communities.
Before the film’s anticipated premiere at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival on May 30, Peña articulated the significance of telling such stories at this critical juncture.
“My film was always relevant and needed,” she emphasized.
Peña, who was born and raised in New York and has been a resident of Los Angeles for nearly a decade, was inspired to create the film due to the noticeable lack of representation for trans stories that accurately reflect the experiences of her community.
During her time in L.A., Peña found herself immersed in the trans community, which ultimately shifted her intentions from observing to storytelling.
“I felt like there’s a void here, and I’m the right person to tell it because I’m both a filmmaker and a trans person,” she explained.
The narrative structure of “Trans Los Angeles” is composed of three non-overlapping vignettes, each shedding light on the diverse experiences faced by Angelenos.
Peña drew inspiration from global cinema, particularly the seminal Soviet/Cuban film “Soy Cuba,” leading her to adopt a vignette format.
Although she initially envisioned four segments mirroring the 1964 film, funding challenges — a common hurdle for independent filmmakers — hindered her ability to produce a fourth vignette, which would have featured a transmasculine character.
While some viewers may question the lack of interconnected stories, Peña articulated that her budget constraints significantly influenced the film’s structure.
“If you give me a million dollars, I can make the stories intertwined,” she remarked, acknowledging the difficulties of independent filmmaking.
Filming for “Trans Los Angeles” spanned several years, with the first vignette “Period” being shot in March 2021, followed by “Feliz Cumpleaños” in June.
The final vignette, “Trans Day of Remembrance,” faced delays due to financial limitations and was eventually recorded in November 2023 using Peña’s iPhone, embracing a guerrilla filmmaking approach.
This unconventional method allowed her to use “stolen locations” for exterior scenes, enabling spontaneous filming without formal permits.
“The guerrilla strategy was practical,” she explained.
The vignette “Period” tells the story of Vergara, a formerly incarcerated trans Latinx woman played by actress and model Carmen Carrera.
In this segment, Vergara secures a nannying job while navigating the complexities of sex work.
Carrera expressed her passion for the project, as Peña’s script allowed her to embody a multi-dimensional character, challenging stereotypes often associated with transgender individuals.
“That is valuable because oftentimes us trans people are told that we’re not valuable,” Carrera stated, emphasizing the importance of representation.
Carrera resonated deeply with Vergara’s character arc, particularly in relation to her relationship with her mother.
As a first-generation American, the character grapples with the weight of family expectations amidst her personal struggles.
Central to the plot of “Period” is the representation of community support through the TransLatin@ Coalition, a real-life advocacy group dedicated to creating safe spaces for transgender and gender-expansive immigrant women in Los Angeles.
Peña shared her personal connection to TransLatin@, expressing her gratitude for the services they provide to people of color within the trans community.
The second vignette, “Trans Day of Remembrance,” is named in observance of the annual event held on November 20 to memorialize lives lost due to transphobia.
This poignant story centers on Phoebe, a Taiwanese American transgender woman portrayed by Austria Wang, as she navigates her romantic life while coping with the death of a fellow trans friend.
In a groundbreaking choice, Peña cast transmasculine actor Jordan Gonzalez as Phoebe’s cisgender boyfriend, Sam, challenging industry norms that often confine actors to roles defined solely by their gender identity.
“We’ve had cisgender people play trans roles, and it’s the first time [Gonzalez has played a cisgender role],” Peña highlighted, hoping that this decision would open up new opportunities for actors within the industry.
The concluding vignette, “Feliz Cumpleaños,” captures the emotional turmoil of an ICE raid alongside Mayela’s aspirations for her baptism at an LGBTQ+ friendly church.
To ensure authenticity, Peña sought the input of Salvadoran community members to refine her portrayal of cultural nuances and experiences.
A Dominican filmmaker, Peña emphasized the importance of respectful representation, recalling how filmmakers from outside a community often misrepresent narratives without proper consultation.
“I want to acknowledge that I’m not from El Salvador,” she stated, demonstrating her commitment to integrity in storytelling.
Ultimately, Peña’s film illuminates the struggles and beauties encompassed within the human experience in Los Angeles.
Despite being a unique slice of the trans experience, she believes it speaks to universal themes of identity, fear, and community.
“For me, being transgender is not about passing. Being transgender is about having the freedom to be who you are,” Peña articulated, encapsulating her ethos as both a filmmaker and an individual.
“Trans Los Angeles” is a compelling narrative that not only sheds light on the harsh realities faced by the community but also celebrates the resilience and complexity of trans lives in the ever-evolving landscape of Los Angeles.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/delos/story/2025-06-17/trans-los-angeles-film-laliff-transgender-stories-independent-filmmaking
