In October 2019, the Chilean government decided to raise the price of transport tickets, sparking days of intense protests. It was during this turbulent period that Cabaret Travesía Travesti was performed for the last time. As well as being entertaining and hilariously funny, this radical show was razor-sharp and extremely political. Scantily clad, wearing sky-high heels and dazzling make-up, Maraca Barata, Anastasia María Benavente, and Amnesia Letal gave short shrift to power structures and a historical legacy that marginalized the trans community, making it a target for often-deadly violence.
As well as being a celebration of the company, Travesti Odyssey by filmmaker Nicolás Videla—who by night is better known by his stage name Amnesia Letal—also examines how it succumbed to personal differences. This vivid, intertwining collage of scenes from performances, interviews, and archive footage paints a vibrant picture of complex, activist characters, one that underscores just how important it is that the trans community stands up to tell its own stories.
