COWBOYS Movie Trailer - Steve Zahn stars as Troy, a troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife, Sally (Jillian Bell).
Aghast at Sally’s refusal to let their trans son, Joe (played by young trans actor Sasha Knight), live as his authentic self, Troy runs off with Joe into the Montana wilderness.
A police detective (Ann Dowd) pursues them, but her resolve about the case is tested the more she learns about Joe’s family.
Rather than anchoring the story in depictions of dysphoria or trauma — as is the case with too many films centred on trans characters — writer-director Anna Kerrigan addresses Joe’s identity through the lens of masculinity in the American west: Joe’s fascination with the cowboy lifestyle, Troy’s bowling night with buddies, a beautiful large belt buckle.
Winner of Tribeca’s Best Screenplay Award for Kerrigan and Outfest’s award for Outstanding Performance in a U.S. Feature for Knight, Cowboys showcases a representation of trans youth that is often overlooked.