The Aggressives

Daniel Peddle's 2005 documentary follows six people living in New York. All were born female and dress as men, and the words they use for themselves differ from one another. The interest lies in the variability of those terms. One says butch, another trans man, another chooses none; the narrative imposes no definition and leaves people their own words. The filming was spread over several years and shows how lives change. Ball culture, the difficulty of finding work and relations with families sit inside the narrative. The camera is handheld and the recording quality varies. Who it's for: those who follow queer documentary and New York subcultures. Who it's not for: viewers expecting informative reporting; the documentary does not explain and settles for observation.