Portrayals of the transgender experience in the national media are often limited to the bold and beautiful. This trend overlooks most of the transgender community in America and devalues their narratives.

“Transcending Ellenville” captures the unseen story of what it means to be working class and transgender in rural America.  Amy, Ashlee and James all struggle financially in their failing, forgotten hometown of Ellenville…and they are not alone in their plight.  Roughly thirty percent of transgender people in the United States live below the poverty line. They can’t afford fancy clothes or expensive surgeries. They aren’t living the glamorous life in a big city.  

“Transcending Ellenville” captures the lives of three transgender Americans whose stories are both beautifully specific and surprisingly universal. It is a film about everyday transgender Americans who are often overlooked and rarely portrayed on screen – until now.