Description
Synopsis:
In the magical town of Tepoztlán, Mexico, fifteen-year-old Karla intimately, and unabashedly, guides audiences in her journey for self-discovery, as she navigates the joys and uncertainties of adolescence, alongside society’s gender prejudices.
While Karla navigates her transition, Kani shapes eight years of footage into a joyful film. Through Karla’s exploration of her transgender identity, the film presents an empowering, yet sweet coming-of-age story about self-expression, resilience, and the complexities of growing up, that is as specific as it is universal.
dir. Kani Lapuerta
2025
Mexico
About the Director:
Kani Lapuerta is a trans filmmaker and researcher.
He studied a Masters in Documentary Film at the Escuela Nacional de Estudios Cinematográficos de la UNAM in Mexico. His work explores projects and spaces that challenge hegemonies around gender, sexuality and corporealities, while opening new possibilities through the audiovisual medium.
In 2023, he wrote and directed “La UNAM sin Límites”, a miniseries produced by UNAM and Procine CDMX, which proposes narratives of sex-gender dissidence within Mexico’s largest university.
In 2021, he released “La Fuga”, a short documentary film that explores masculinity and the prison experience. The film debuted at the Morelia International Film Festival and received awards at several international festivals.
In addition, Kani teaches film workshops in institutions and cultural centers in Mexico and abroad, sharing his passion for audiovisual language as a tool for creation and transformation.
