Casa Susanna Review: A Time Traveling Documentary to Witness Transgender History [TIFF]

"Casa Susanna", directed by Sébastien Lifshitz, does a very good job of direction and tone. There's a remarkable amount of home movies and pictures included - a real treasure trove of memories. In addition, the dreamy and nostalgic score and the archive images of the time. It's so immersive; even though the original buildings are completely abandoned and in ruins, the audience gets a clear idea of ​​what the experience must have felt like.

Great care is taken to explore the "pure joy" these men and women felt in being openly themselves among other like-minded people. They not only had the opportunity to embrace those cravings, but also to play, laugh, and be part of a community that accepted them for who they were, no questions asked. With that, however, came other kinds of shame: homosexuality was still frowned upon in the 50s and 60s, so there was an attitude at Casa Susanna that transvestites should be heterosexual men, bringing their women with them. It's sad to hear about this kind of control, but it's also very understandable. It also makes the stories of Diane and Kate, who both went through transition, all the more inspiring and remarkable.

There are some very poignant and emotional moments in "Casa Susanna". Diane and Kate have the space to share their personal journeys, from questioning their gender as children, to discovering a community, to accepting their femininity, and to fully transitioning. It seems so relevant in 2022. These are women who, in their lifetime, have seen transgender identities emerge into public consciousness. The fight for transgender rights is far from over - some might suggest it's only really begun in earnest - and 'Casa Susanna' shows how devastating it would be if those rights were taken away. p>