Yo Soy Así

A documentary exploring transgender life in Chile, focusing on Karina—one of the few in her generation who chooses to live her true gender identity outside the path of prostitution.

When I made this film in 2004, discussions about gender identity were still very limited, and few people were talking openly about these issues. In many ways, it was ahead of its time, at a moment when gender identity has since become a more mainstream and widely understood topic.

Learn more about Karina’s story here: https://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/rough/2006/06/chile_karinas_s.html

For me, this project marked a pivotal moment in my development as an artist. Gender and identity have long been central themes in my work. I’ve often felt outside societal notions of what it means to be a woman—disconnected not only from societal expectations but also from biological definitions of gender. Sometimes, I even related to the experience of a drag queen, as my sense of self didn’t fit neatly into traditional categories of womanhood.

This raises essential questions: What truly defines sex, gender, and identity? Which element comes first? How do we personally construct our understanding of ourselves beyond societal and biological labels?

The documentary was shown in SF Frontline Festival, New York Gay and Lesbian Film Festival to name a few. PBS also commissioned a version of the documentary for Frontline World. The feature-length version can be viewed via request of the artist.