Gun Hill Road
($19.99 DVD; Virgil Films)
In this long-awaited DVD release, trans actress Harmony Santana stars as a Bronx teen whose transition to Vanessa is complicated by the arrival of her macho ex-con father, Enrique (Esai Morales). Writer/director Rashaad Ernesto Green’s feature debut, a film-fest fave, sees a father at odds with dueling instincts—ingrained cultural homophobia and the desire to love his child. But Road is really a showcase for Santana (Eating Out: Drama Camp) and the young actress shines in what is hopefully one of many more great performances.
NEXT: There’s more to I Want Your Love than just actual sex (but there’s that, too).