‘The Secret of Me’ Review: A Riveting Intersex Documentary With Twists and Turns

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In a compelling and sometimes infuriating medical narrative, Grace Hughes-Hallett’s first feature film, “The Secret of Me,” maintains a straightforward style while exuding emotional confidence. Despite tackling numerous topics, it skillfully weaves its secondary narratives around a central figure: Kristi, a girl from Baton Rouge, who as a teenager in the 1990s, uncovers astonishing truths about her upbringing. In the current timeline, diverse interviewees reminisce fondly about Kristi, among them a bearded middle-aged man named Jim. Early in the film, Jim discloses a surprising revelation – he was, or more accurately, used to be, Kristi. Contrary to what one might initially assume, this is not a story about transgenderism as Jim explains.

“The Secret of Me” is a medical movie with emotional depth, featuring many themes but keeping them connected through the character of Kristi from Baton Rouge. As a teenager in the 1990s, she uncovers secrets about her past. In the present, people who knew her, like Jim, fondly remember her. However, it’s soon revealed that Jim was actually Kristi. This isn’t a story about transgenderism as one might initially think.

At first glance, the film “The Secret of Me” bears some structural and thematic resemblances to Tim Wardle’s “Three Identical Strangers,” a documentary that Hughes-Hallet produced. Both films delve into the nature versus nurture debate, focusing on adults uncovering shocking medical pasts dating back to their births. However, unlike Wardle’s approach, “The Secret of Me” presents information in a way that refrains from turning individuals into sensationalized subjects or objects of excessive curiosity.

It is not surprising to reveal that the protagonist Jim is intersex, as this aspect of his identity is introduced early in the film. The movie offers unique twists without resorting to sensationalism. Instead, it focuses on how the characters were treated and raised, particularly Jim who was brought up as a girl. This is where the real surprises unfold. The documentary maintains a soft and honest approach towards the intersex community, allowing subjects like Jim to be incredibly open on camera.

I found Jim’s opening statement accurate, as “The Secret of Me” indeed doesn’t focus on transgender individuals (yet he clearly values and respects the trans community). However, the film’s narrative structure echoes strongly with current societal discourse, especially in relation to how people who challenge traditional gender roles are often unfairly vilified by others. Given this parallel, it’s likely that discussions on trans identity will serve as a point of reference for many viewers regarding the movie’s topic. Yet, Hughes-Hallet’s method is incredibly thorough and enlightening, offering insights that extend beyond this particular perspective.

Despite its lengthy nature, which serves to counteract years of inaccurate portrayals, the movie’s silence carries equal weight. The story begins with an American flag in Louisiana, setting its context beyond merely exploring gender identity, but also delving into the broader topic of American identity. As the character Kristi is introduced (often referred to as Kristy by various characters, giving the impression that the ’90s exploration of her identity is happening concurrently), the depiction of Jim’s upbringing in a conservative southern town hints at the influences of religious fervor and limited information, creating an environment ripe for oppression. In light of current events where several U.S. states, including Louisiana, are attempting to ban books with LGBTQ themes or characters, the film’s narrative from nearly 30 years ago feels strikingly pertinent.

The shadow of “The Secret of Me” hangs heavily, reaching back past Jim’s birth in the mid-70s. Using old recordings and a few blurry recreations from the 1960s, the movie follows the chain reaction of intrusive medical procedures, enforced gender labels, and cloaked secrets that left individuals like Jim with damaging consequences for themselves and their loved ones. The storyline is further driven by the hope that Jim may face one of the people responsible for what was done to him – a tense encounter that the film gradually leads us towards.

Despite the somber, disheartening, and painful nature of its disclosures, “The Secret of Me” is deeply grounded in the exploration of community, a theme skillfully constructed by Hughes-Hallet using archival footage from DIY documentaries about or created by its intersex characters dating back decades. The film’s extended interviews with Jim, who overcomes his weariness and apprehension to openly share his story, provides a cinematic rebuttal to limiting stereotypes about identity, sometimes at the expense of personal contentment. It’s a film fueled by righteous anger, yet it tenderly portrays Jim, a seemingly ordinary individual yearning for closure and self-validation, rather than a hero. Few films in cinema are as compassionate as this one.

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2025-03-13 15:16