Change Your Image
AngelicaCTorres
Reviews
The Garden Left Behind (2019)
One of the most raw, authentic and real cinematic stories regarding the trans experience
I had the esteemed honor of attending a private screening of The Garden Left Behind prior to it being released to theaters and I can honestly say, as a woman of trans experience I was deeply moved and effected by this beautiful yet tragic story of a young trans female navigating through transitioning, relationships and a strong bond with her grandmother. It was as if I was watching my own life story unfold on screen.
The Garden Left Behind tells a story of Tina, a young trans woman just beginning to pursue her medical transition through the guidance of her fellow trans sisters. Throughout the film, Tina is faced with a number of challenges from being publicly humiliated and accosted in the streets by transphobic men, she has a "boyfriend" that refuses to take their relationship seriously and treats her as a sex object (much like most trans women are treated by cisgender, heterosexual men in real life) and and a grandmother, Eliana, that doesn't quite understand Tina's decision as to why she wants to transition.
The Garden Left Behind touches on so many real elements of living openly as a trans person, from the physical violence we face, to the difficulties of finding a meaningful relationship with a significant other, to how our biological families also go through a sort of "transition" with us.
What was most impactful for me was 1. Tina's sweet relationship with her Eliana. While I was dismayed to see Eliana misgendering Tina and calling her by her birth name (This is particularly triggering for me as I've had to experience this with my own biological family) you get to witness the progression of acceptance Eliana has for her granddaughter. There are moments between Tina and her Eliana that pull at your heart strings because there's such a genuine love between the two of them. 2. The unreciprocated love and care Tina has for Jason was all too familiar to me as a trans woman. Trans women are always made to feel as though we are a dirty secret, something to be hidden in secret and never brought into public spaces when dating cisgender, heterosexual men. There's a stigma and shame that cis-straight men have attached to dating trans women because of ignorance and bigotry. I've experienced this my entire life and at 32 years old, I'm sad to say I'm still single and searching for that one man that will treat me as a human being and not just a sex object to be used and then discarded of. 3. And lastly, the ending of the film is the most difficult, and emotionally painful (bordering on physically painful for the viewer) part of the film for me to watch. As I type this, I feel a lump in my throat and am trying my best to hold back tears. Tina receives news that unfortunately hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not something that physically she'll be able to do, despite wanting it so badly. The film then takes a turn for the absolute worst when the local boys that harass her begin to yell at her while in their car as she walks down a dark, lonely street. Amongst the group is a young man, Chris, that sees Tina nearly every day and is usually kind to her. Throughout the film, you see him attempt to call her and carry conversations with her but he always end up shying away from doing so. While his friends badger Tina, something snaps in Chris who is carrying a baseball bat. He abruptly gets out of the car and begins to violently beat Tina to death while Tina's blood splashed onto Chris's face. Later on, doctors give Eliana the news that Tina's died and the doctor asks her to confirm her name...to which her Eliana responds, "Tina" with tears streaming down her face. Eliana later goes to a park, crumbles onto a bench and opens an envelope. The envelope contains money that Tina saved up for Eliana to visit her homeland. The film ends with Eliana crying hysterically on the bench while clutching the money to her chest, clearly in tremendous pain. I was overcome with grief and sobbed having watched the last few moments of this film as it is in fact our reality. Trans women are beaten to death simply for existing in public spaces. I've experienced my fair share of harassment/transphobia and fear for my life every single day that I walk outside my door.
This film meant a great deal to me as it was such a spot on depiction of what trans women, especially trans women of color, go through on a daily basis. While it's a scripted film, it's a very real narrative for the trans community. And to have a film like this be so inclusive of trans actors was the cherry on top of a fantastic cape. I've been recommending this film to all of my friends (cis, trans, gay, lesbian, etc.). It's such a vital film and an educational story for those that do not quite realize how difficult it is to be a trans person in the world. I'm thrilled a film like this exists and am so thankful to the filmmakers, actors, actresses and all that were involved in creating this film. Please go see it, support it, discuss it with your family and friends!