NIÑXS

In the organizer's words:

MEX/BRD 2025, documentary, 93 min, FSK 12

Director: Kani Lapuerta - OmU (Spanish with German subtitles)

With: Karla Bañuelos

Karla grows up in the small town of Tepoztlán in Mexico, surrounded by mountains. The documentary follows her over the course of eight years, from childhood to adolescence, from her first questions to a clear sense of herself. Karla is trans*, and the film shows how identity is not suddenly "there", but unfolds, for example in conversations with friends, through looks from outsiders, in clothes and make-up, in sports with other girls. As Karla masters her transformation, Kani Lapuerta combines documentary footage, social media videos of Karla as well as staged and fantastically exaggerated sequences to create a cheerful film in which the protagonist and director confidently reflect on the experiences of a trans* youth in a rural region. Precisely because their relationship with each other is a self-reflective part of the film, Niñxs works as a joint empowerment project. The coming-of-age film is colorful, playful, political, funny and illuminates the reality of queer life with intimate closeness. It illustrates how important the self-determined representation of trans* realities is in film and focuses on the joie de vivre and queer joy that unfolds in Karla's life, not least thanks to the support of friends and family - without concealing the fact that Karla's career also brings challenges and requires resilience. An empathetic portrait that encourages and celebrates self-determination, self-expression and community. (Text: FrauenFilmFest Dortmund-Cologne ) Stills © missingFILMs

Karla grows up in the small mountain town of Tepoztlán in Mexico. The documentary follows her over a period of eight years, from childhood into adolescence, from the first tentative questions to the moment she understands exactly who she is. Karla is trans, and the film shows how identity doesn't suddenly "appear", but evolves gradually - in conversations with friends, through the gazes of strangers, in clothing and make-up, playing sports with other girls. As Karla navigates her transformation, Kani Lapuerta weaves together documentary footage, Karla's social media videos and enacted, fantastically exaggerated sequences into a light-hearted film in which protagonist and director reflect candidly on the experiences of trans adolescents growing up in a rural region. Their relationship to one another, embedded in the film narrative, turns Niñxs into a shared empowerment project. This coming-of-age film is colorful, playful, political and funny, portraying queer reality with intimate closeness. It emphasizes the importance of trans people representing their own trans realities on screen and celebrates vitality and queer joy - made possible in Karla's life not least through the support of friends and family - without losing sight of the challenges involved and the strength that it requires. A deeply empathetic portrait that inspires courage and champions self-determination, self-expression and community. (Text: FrauenFilmFest Dortmund-Köln ) (Spanish with German subtitles)

Price information:

7.50 € (regular) - 6.00 € (reduced*) - 3.50 € (with Leipzig Pass, disabled pass, volunteer pass) - Films longer than 130 min: + 1.00 € - Tickets are available online (plus 0.70 € booking fee), remaining tickets at the Box Office.