November 21, 2023. Immersive and sensorial, Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later revisits four of the original subjects from Daniel Peddle’s groundbreaking 2005 film The Aggressives (Frameline29) — a seminal documentary centering masculine-presenting people of color assigned female at birth. The now iconic Kisha, Trevon, Octavio and Chin are back, sharing an array of their triumphs and challenges, including: pursuing dreams in the arts, surviving the experience of being held in ICE detention, reuniting with estranged children, deciding whether to start families of their own, and seeking gender-affirming healthcare.

Through the voices of today’s queer BIPOC, who felt represented and inspired by The Aggressives, the new film also delves into how much the language, culture and visibility of the transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming community has evolved, and grapples with the many complexities of gender identity, expectations and expression. All combined, these intimate stories and diverse testimonials reveal compelling insights into the queer experience and paint a deeply moving portrait of four trailblazing heroes.