top of page
Award Winner

Festival Season:

January 2025

JUST KIDS

JUST KIDS

Directors:

Writers:

Gianna Toboni

Producers:

Jacqueline Toboni, Gianna Toboni

Run Time:

1:32:31

Awarded for the following Category(s):

Awarded Category(s)

JUST KIDS is a documentary that follows three families in states that have banned gender-affirming care as they navigate a heartbreaking decision: Should they stay in their home states, where their whole life is, and risk their child's health and safety? Or should they flee? Over the course of a year, these families endure impossible challenges and show unparalleled strength as they fight to save their children's lives. This film will elevate the voices of pioneers in the trans community and civil rights experts, who will contextualize this moment in history: the political right has framed this conversation around the false debate of whether hormones are good for youth; the evidence from America's leading medical associations shows that this is life-saving care. These new laws are a thinly veiled political strategy that's been used against different communities for years. And the trans community and their allies aren't backing down.

Submitter Statement

I’m a journalist and documentarian that’s been filming with transgender families since 2015. Back then, their challenge was centered around bathroom bills. I would’ve never thought that eight years later, nearly half the country would’ve passed bills outlawing gender-affirming care for these children. As my sister, and producing partner, Jacqueline Toboni and I watched powerful, well-funded right wing organizations control the narrative around this story, we couldn't help but feel we needed to correct the narrative. We assembled an inclusive team, including folks with trans lived experience, and decided to make this film to inject the truth, and the humanity at the center of this story -- and to reveal this for what it is, an old political strategy. This is a David and Goliath story. It’s one about the strength of the human spirit and the lengths that parents will go to protect their children. It’s a story about one community, on a long list, that’s been targeted for political gain throughout history. This is a story about America.
GIANNA TOBONI is a two-time Emmy-winning documentarian and author with dozens of films that have aired on HBO, Showtime, Hulu and VICE. Toboni has traveled to more than 30 countries, including Cuba, Kenya, Japan, Russia, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, and many more, telling stories that highlight the cultural significance, national trends and most significant challenges facing each local community. Her debut book, THE VOLUNTEER, a story about her relationship with a death row inmate and the broader story of America’s death penalty, will be published by Atria Books, a Simon and Schuster imprint in 2025. While Toboni has been on the forefront of the most pressing issues around the world, she feels the most powerful stories are right here in the United States. Toboni has covered the biggest national stories -- including mass shootings, climate change, LGBTQ rights, and criminal justice reform – and the common theme in each of her stories is the humanity at the center of them, and the pursuit for truth. Toboni was honored on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for Media. She was named a TEDx Speaker on truth and storytelling. Toboni was a Peabody Award finalist for her film on Student Debt, has won two Emmys, a GLAAD, Gracie and Front Page Awards, and won a Webby Award for Best Documentary Series.

Key Cast

Susan Stryker, Andrea Jenkins

Other Credits

Consulting Producers: Alex Schmider, Mel Mel Sukekawa-Mooring

Editor: Sasha Perry

Executive Producer: Samantha Wender

Consulting Producer: Alyza Enriquez

Director of Photography: Daniel Hollis

Camera Operator: Jes Gallegos

bottom of page