“We were pushed out of the neighborhood years ago. I was determined to make a film about The Stroll before we’re gone.”
One of the essential LGBTQ films to stream this Pride Month, filmmaker Kristen P. Lovell and Zackary Drucker’s HBO documentary The Stroll walks you through the history and personal experiences of trans sex workers in New York City’s Meatpacking District, specifically 14th Street between 9th Avenue and the Hudson River.
Speaking to the women and nonbinary people of color who lived in, worked in, and defined this neighborhood from the ’70s to ’00s, the documentary examines both the horrendous, targeted police violence trans sex workers endured here and the incredible resilience and camaraderie of the community.
“There’s nothing more powerful and more urgently needed than trans people telling their own stories,” journalist and film critic Oliver Whitney writes for Mashable. “Lovell and Drucker, who are both trans, achieve something beyond the reach of most cis filmmakers. In place of sorrowful trauma porn, the directing duo creates a stunning ode to the power and resilience of trans sisterhood. The Stroll isn’t only an essential document of trans history; it’s a revitalizing reminder for trans folks that together we have the power to pave a path for a better trans future.”
Following its premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January, The Stroll is streaming on Max from June 21.
