Real Boy (2016)

REAL BOY is an intimate story of a family in transition. As 19-year-old Bennett Wallace navigates early sobriety, late adolescence, and the evolution of his gender identity, his mother ... See full summary »

Director:

Shaleece Haas

11 wins & 1 nomination.

Storyline

REAL BOY is an intimate story of a family in transition. As 19-year-old Bennett Wallace navigates early sobriety, late adolescence, and the evolution of his gender identity, his mother makes her own transformation from resistance to acceptance of her trans son. Along the way, both mother and son find support in their communities, reminding us that families are not only given, but chosen.

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Genres:

Documentary | Family | Music

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2016 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

72 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

This film is AMAZING.

Ignore the low ratings - my guess is that they were left by some homophobic trolls who never even saw the film. This movie is incredible and is getting overwhelmingly positive reception as it opens at films festivals in the US and abroad. I recently caught it at a film festival in LA. The audience was spellbound and by the end there wasn't a dry eye in the house. On the surface, Real Boy is a story about a young trans man and his relationship with his family. But although it might seem to be a niche topic, the film is incredibly easy to relate to. It tackles many universal themes at once - blood family and chosen family, identity, transformation, friendship, mentor-ship, and sobriety - and never once loses its footing. The film is also beautifully filmed and edited. If you don't believe me, ask PBS - apparently it's going to be broadcast widely in 2017. It also just won the Audience Award in San Francisco. Do yourself a favor - ignore the trolls and go screen this film if you get a chance.