Krow's TRANSformation (2019) • reviewsphere

Gina Hole Lazarowich presents a moving and important story about model Krow’s transition from female to male, filmed over a period of three years, charting his pursuit of a career as a male model after finding success as a female model in his teenage years. Told through a series of interviews with Krow, his mother and others he has met along the way, the film provides a thought-provoking and intimate insight into the highs and lows of Krow’s journey and his ultimate achievement of his goal.

At the age of 18, Krow began his transition, and, significantly, marked the end of his career as a successful female model, pursued as a way of exploring his femininity as a teenager but also as a response to the school bullies who had preyed on his differences and unwillingness to conform.

The film tackles the difficulties and hardships faced by transgender youth in coming to terms with their realities with sensitivity and honesty. We hear from Krow’s friends Ashton Sciacallo and Kas Baker about the realities of their journeys, including their darkest days, and the audience is presented with shocking statistics about the high rates of depression and suicidal thoughts faced by transgender youth. Lazarowich doesn’t shy away from these sadly prevalent, unignorable truths, but instills a message of hope centered around the importance of community and family.

The intimate look at Krow’s relationship with his mother is compelling, and the courageous and honest depiction of their relationship, not without issue, emphasises the importance of family and community in supporting Krow and others in becoming their true selves. Kas Baker and Emily Seal, who also provide the soundtrack to the film, share their own story of family and community and provide another hopeful and inspiring story of finding happiness and truth.

Delving into questions of gender from Krow’s perspective as a model frames the film in an interesting way; we see Krow relearning mannerisms and movements as a male model, finding his unique identity. Yet in other ways his story speaks to a collective reality, following the highs and lows of the journey through transition and finding a community through experience.

The final interview after Krow has walked the Louis Vuitton runway at Paris Fashion Week is a wonderful and fitting conclusion to the film, Krow being told how truly strong and inspiring he is, and it’s true. Krow’s is certainly a story that needs to be shared. The film is an honest and inspiring account, which will have wide-ranging appeal as a story of courage and hope.