Girl 2019

Lara Verhaeghen is a fifteen-year-old Belgian transgender girl with dreams of becoming a professional ballerina. Upon applying to a prestigious ballet school in Antwerp, she is thrilled to be accepted, provided she impresses during an eight-week trial period. Excited about this opportunity, she moves closer to the school with her supportive father, Mathias, and her younger brother, Milo. During this significant transitional phase, Lara engages in conversations with doctors regarding her gender dysphoria, starts taking puberty blockers, and regularly sees a supportive psychiatrist, Le docteur Pascal.

Lara thrives academically, and even though her status as a transgender girl is known among her peers, she is generally accepted by her classmates, who allow her to use the girls’ locker room, although she feels more comfortable using a private restroom. In an attempt to conform to her gender identity, Lara follows the dangerous advice of tucking her penis with tape during practices, which takes a toll on her body as she trains relentlessly for ballet. Despite the pain, her commitment to the art and the desire to present as her authentic self push her forward. Meanwhile, Milo struggles to adapt, still calling her by her deadname. Lara remains supportive, helping him get ready and taking him to school each day while also keeping a watchful eye on him.

As time goes by, the doctors decide that Lara is ready to begin her sex reassignment surgery journey. She eagerly signs the consent documents, knowing the entire process will span over two years. During a discussion with her psychiatrist, she reveals her desire to wait until she has the “right body” before dating. However, her psychiatrist encourages her to relish her teenage experience.

Though she starts hormone replacement therapy, Lara feels her body is not changing quickly enough. One evening, during a sleepover with friends, she faces bullying, prompting her to return home early. She discovers her father dining with his new girlfriend and feigns a stomach ache for the distraction. Matthias gently probes her feelings on the way to a doctor’s appointment, where they discover that Lara has lost weight and has developed a genital infection due to the tape. The doctor insists she can’t continue this practice and needs to gain weight for her health and upcoming surgery, while her father supports this advice.

After a near breakdown during class, Lara finds solace in a boy from her building who shows interest in her. They share a kiss, but when he tries to advance physically, she pulls back, opting instead to perform oral sex on him; afterward, she flees. This encounter triggers a heated argument with Mathias, who wishes to understand but is met with resistance from Lara, who shuts down emotionally.

As the studio rehearsals conclude, the students progress to their first stage practice. Exhaustion overwhelms Lara, leading her to collapse backstage. The following morning, as she attempts to leave, her father expresses concern over her lack of appetite, causing her to erupt in frustration and tears. A visit to the doctor reveals that her dancing must cease, and she must concentrate on regaining her strength; otherwise, her surgery will be postponed.

At a family dinner some time later, Lara appears to be in better spirits, receiving compliments on her stunning new dress. She even finds comfort falling asleep while cradling Milo. The next day starts positively with Matthias bringing her coffee in bed before heading out to work and dropping Milo at school. However, in a moment of despair, Lara prepares a bowl of ice, contacts emergency services, and, in a shocking act of self-harm, mutilates her penis with scissors. Matthias remains by her side through the intense emergency response, staying with her in the ambulance and afterward. Ultimately, the film concludes with a recovered Lara, now sporting shorter hair, walking confidently down the street, ready to embrace her future.