---

SYNOPSIS

Boys on the Inside is a feature documentary exploring the intersections of queer gender identity and the U.S. prison system through the stories of three butch/transmasculine Latinx individuals—Christina, Sarah, and Sebastian. Spanning 16 years of production and relationship building, the film delves into experiences of incarceration, addiction recovery, and reclaiming queer masculinity, sobriety and their shared Mexican heritage while overcoming intergenerational cycles of violence and institutionalization.

Set in the Pacific Northwest’s vast landscapes, the documentary uses cinema verité, archival footage, and reflective storytelling, the film centers on a weekend retreat where Christina and Sebastian reflect on their journeys while processing Sarah’s absence and her active addiction. Through archival clips and discussions, the three storytellers illustrate full and complex lives despite trauma and systemic barriers, reclaiming story and voice with full hearts, humor, integrity and personal power.

In a powerful climax, Sebastian confronts his family’s abusive past, while Christina dedicates the film to “boys” like them, offering hope. The film closes with a reunion of Christina and Sebastian with Sarah on an Oregon beach, capturing the resilience and camaraderie of these survivors as they embrace a shared journey toward healing.

BACKGROUND

This project is critical and timely in addressing the intersecting issues of gender, incarceration, race, and societal bias. The U.S. incarcerates over 200,000 women—more than any other country—an increase of over 700% since 1980. LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly butch and transmasculine people, face heightened discrimination and risk within the system, compounded by over 200 anti-transgender bills introduced in 2024. Amid a political climate of amplified anti-Mexican-American and anti-immigrant rhetoric, Boys on the Inside powerfully illuminates the human cost of these systemic injustices through the stories of formerly incarcerated Latinx butch/trans individuals.

This film counters extractive portrayals of trauma, addiction, and incarceration by centering trauma-informed and decolonizing documentary practices, reflecting calls to action within the documentary industry. Building on the media landscape of The Aggressives, Cruel and Unusual, Stranger Inside, Orange is the New Black, Since I Been Down, and Belly of the Beast, the film bridges gaps in representation by exploring incarceration’s long-term impacts and trauma recovery for those who found their ‘boy’ identity in women’s prisons. Impact Producing will utilize the film to address policy impacting Latinx, gender-diverse/transgender and incarceration impacted communities, with a focus on PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) being used against rather than to protect LGBT prisoners.

Additional materials available upon request.