Karla, born in Mexico City to Assur and Chio, is now a 14-year-old transgender girl. At six, her family moved to Tepoztlán, a ‘pueblo mágico’ 75 km out of the capital. Her mother Chio, a talented cook from Málaga, has a strong bond with her despite typical adolescent conflicts. Her father Assur does not have a cell phone and loves to spend his time outside. He is a man of little words but is very understanding towards his daughter. Karla was raised in a loving household, where traditional gender roles had little meaning. She came out as trans* three years ago, embracing her love for ‘girl’ clothes and drag performances since age four. Karla has a few close friends, including Oliver and Amapola, who are also a part of her support system. She showcases her makeup skills on TikTok and dreams of becoming a film director. The director’s close relationship with the family forms the basis for the film, telling Karla’s story, her struggles and triumphs, as a rural Mexican trans* youth.

The discrimination of trans* youth is still a fact, both in Mexico and in European countries such as Germany. We aim to give space to joyful positive trans* narratives, to review traditional gender models, to empower teachers and parents of trans*children and to create a guide to encourage positive, beneficial discourse.