When Hilary Swank won best actress, she thanked Brandon Teena, pointedly using male pronouns on one of the world's biggest stages. 'Boys Don't Cry' was incredibly important in shifting the narrative for trans people in America.
While the film can't change the tragic details of Teena's story, it does imbue it with touching moments, including an emotional karaoke scene, lovely shots of middle America, and a depiction of a person who's finally found himself and his place in the world. Teena was then raped and murdered by two men who had been his friends, resulting in a scandal that was thoroughly documented by the homophobic press of the era. Based on the real-life story of Brandon Teena, the film follows the last months of his life during which he moved to a small town and fell in love with a girl (Chloe Sevigny).
