adolescence, Clara felt uncomfortable in her own skin; she wanted to explore every possibility for Leo, her true identity, to emerge. Her mother, bewildered, sought to support her. In this process, Ana had to undertake a profound self-examination: recognizing Leo was also recognizing herself. On the path to Leo, a documentary by Ana Bárcenas Torres, chronicles the immersion into new identities: those of mother and son, Ana’s relationship with her own mother, the fears, the misgivings, but also the love and solidarity between generations. On the path to Leo is an autobiographical exercise and also serves as a refuge and a source of support: of course, for trans people undergoing their transition, but also for the families who accompany them. And it can be extended: the practice of all mothers with their sons, daughters, or children, recognizing the other person, recognizing themselves, building bridges to converse with identity. “On the path to Leo” is part of the Made in Mexico section of the 20th DocsMX. We spoke with Ana Bárcenas Torres about this exercise in family and identity.

As a filmmaker, you have a record of your family life, with Leo from before his transition to the present. Perhaps, without realizing it, you’ve always been building this story on film, but what specifically sparked this documentary? It unfolded gradually. I started the master’s program in documentary filmmaking in 2020 at the University of Communication; I had another project for my third feature film. Meanwhile, Leo’s transition was gaining momentum. So I reviewed my archive footage. As a mother and filmmaker, I spent a lot of time filming my children, but I never thought that could be material for a film. It was something intimate, for me and the family. Leo agreed to do the film, but things changed a lot along the way. Initially, the idea was for him to be the narrator, but that didn’t happen. He set a boundary and didn’t want me to film him anymore. I put the project on hold for several months, until a professor in the master’s program told me: “Leo has everything clear. You’re the one who’s conflicted.” So we thought that I should be the narrator: the one who was resisting, the one who was confused and in crisis. So I picked up the camera and started again. That was the process.

Your documentary spans three generations: your mother, you, and Leo; it reflects different forms of identity. How did you construct this family history, which is also a portrait of a line of women? Leo’s Journey is, in many ways, tracing a maternal line. It spans three generations: my mother’s story, my own story, and Leo’s. Leo’s decision to transition was, for me, a catalyst. From that moment on, I re-examined many things that for years had been threatening to me, things I had kept silent about, hidden, or assumed didn’t exist. Little by little, I understood what Leo’s transition was all about. As I moved forward, people also told me, “You need to examine yourself too.” And that examination involved my mother. Because in a gender transition, it’s not just the individual who transitions: the whole family does. This journey is a way of showing vulnerability in order to emerge stronger. What Leo’s transition has left me with is this: having been forced to examine myself, to expose myself, and to put necessary discussions on the table.

You portray Leo’s transition through everyday life. Anyone going through a similar process can feel supported by your film. Did you envision “On the path to Leo” as a film with therapeutic value? Since 2018, I’ve participated in film therapy sessions with Óscar Pretel, the therapist whose voice is heard in the film. He taught me the basics of Gestalt therapy, which is closely related to film, with concepts like foreground and background. So, the support developed in parallel. I would film those days with my son, trying to understand what we were going through. And when we started putting the film together, I realized that much of the therapeutic work I had done was implicit in the images. There have been private screenings, and the experience has been moving. Part of the natural audience consists of trans families: people who leave deeply affected because what they see on screen is their own experience. “On the path to Leo” can be a companionable film, and that’s what film therapy is all about: creating spaces where people can express themselves without judgment. Creating these spaces through film is more important than ever. We live in hostile times for sexual diversity. That’s why this film also aims to be a refuge.

How did Leo feel about being filmed so closely and in such personal moments? At first, Leo wanted to make a kind of road movie, interview more trans people, something broader. But I, with a bit more experience, thought: “The most extraordinary story is right here, and it’s you.” Besides, I didn’t have the resources to make a travel film. The richest part was at home. We built the film together. Leo set boundaries: “I don’t want you to film me with my friends.” And that’s perfectly respectable. As a documentary filmmaker, I’m bound by strict ethics because we work with real people, and that demands special care. Leo was the first person to approve the final cut. Later, he contributed some voiceovers; the animation is based on his drawings. We always agreed on one thing: this film will help other people going through similar processes. And today, my relationship with my son goes far beyond a film. Today, Leo is almost 25, he’s finished his degree, he’s working in Europe: he’s found his path. I accompanied him when he was younger, with doubts and fragility. And I also showed my own fragility.  That’s what I value most: the ability to put themselves out there, knowing there’s a purpose behind it. A purpose of generating empathy, of opening spaces for dialogue when many communities are under attack. What was it like taking on the dual role of director and star of this story? Although I was surrounded by friends throughout the process, the filming phase became overwhelming. Besides directing, I was also a caregiver. Like many mothers, I had to juggle everything: caring, working, supporting. That burden that falls on women is also touched upon, albeit tangentially, in the film. From the beginning, I received a lot of advice, and one piece, which might sound crazy, was: “Think of yourself as a character.” And of course, that sounds strange when you’re talking about your own life, about a story that still deeply affects you. Not feeling alone is crucial. Although I had extraordinary people by my side, there were times when I felt very alone. And talking about it helped release that burden. Because you can feel very overwhelmed when you don’t have the experience of those who have provided support throughout their lives.

We’ve talked about Leo and you, but I sense a wider network within your family. How did they react to the documentary? Before showing the film to the public, I, of course, shared it with my loved ones, especially my siblings and nephews. One of my brothers, Lalo, didn’t really know what had happened to my mother. One afternoon, before a screening, we sat in the park and talked. It was one of the most beautiful conversations I’ve ever had with him. We hugged, we cried a little, because we had never spoken about what happened. He, too, had hidden it away, swept his skeletons under the rug, and there they stayed. We talked for a long time, we reminisced, we understood. I truly believe in that phrase: “The truth will set you free,” however threatening it may be. It’s understandable that some people don’t want to hear it. We aren’t always ready to process what happens to us. Making this film was a personal healing process for me and the people I love most. Making this film helped me immensely. It made me more sensitive, more receptive, more able to listen.

What does it mean to you to present *On the path to Leo* to the DocsMX audience? I’m very excited to share this work with people who want to come and have a healing cinematic experience, a cinematic therapy, a family story. A story about a trans boy, told from his mother’s perspective. That’s what excites me most about presenting it at DocsMX. The film has been very well received in other venues: at the Cuenca Film Festival, it received a jury mention, and there were some truly great films there. So I’m really enjoying this stage.