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SYNOPSIS

Boys on the Inside is a feature documentary exploring the intersections of gender identity, addiction and the U.S. prison system through the stories of three butch/transmasculine Latinx individuals—Christina, Sarah, and Sebastian. Spanning 18 years of production and relationship building, the film provides a slow intimacy around the long-term impacts of incarceration, reclaiming queer masculinity, sobriety and a shared Mexican heritage while overcoming intergenerational cycles of violence and institutionalization.

Set in the Pacific Northwest’s vast landscapes, the documentary uses cinema verité, testimonials and self-reflective storytelling with footage that spans multiple media formats over nearly two decades, giving texture to the passage of time. Birds moving in large groups alongside evergreen forests, the pacific ocean and farm land prairies portray and introduce each storyteller’s environments and the emotional tonality of the film. 

The film follows a three act story structure. Act I introductions of Christina, Sebastian and Sarah: we learn how they grew up and how they came into their masculine gender identities and sexuality as young incarcerated adults in women’s prisons in Washington State. They share their paths to becoming incarcerated and the contrasting dynamic of receiving both identity affirming attention and targeted discrimination because they were visibly queer. The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA, Federal Law est 2003) is as a charge ‘boys’ would be threatened with (regardless of its intented use of protecting prisoners from officer abuses), as well as other segregation and descriminatory actions by officers and the institution towards masculinity in women’s prisons.

In Act II we follow Christina, Sebastian and Sarah as they transition out of prison and return to life on the outside. They navigate gender transition, addiction recovery, incarceration, coming out to and reconnecting with family, and the passing of loved ones. Sebastian and his daughter, Devyn, talk about intergenerational cycles of violence. Christina mourns family and reconnects with her dad while Sarah reconnects with her mom.  Act III follows the storytellers through deeper processing of intergenerational trauma, incarceration experiences and addiction recovery, leading to a surprise reconnection and emotional moment of comradery and support. The film closes with loss alongside a powerful right of passage, the storytellers stepping in their power as they share how their story is bigger than themselves and an act of service for others on a similar path.

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 747 bills anti-transgender bills introduced in 42 states within the first three months of 2026 alone. Amid a political climate of amplified anti-Mexican-American and anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions by ICE, 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. The Impact campaign will tour various US communities, from educational institutions, cultural centers and theaters to addiction recovery treatment centers and prison reentry programs. 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. The film will also tour treatment centers and work with other restorative justice programs and organizations.

Additional materials available upon request.