Victoria Divine is an Argentinian film director, producer, and performer whose life and work have been shaped by an unending desire to evolve. She grew up in Buenos Aires in the 1970s, where she first explored her gender identity and discovered a fascination with the trans women who would become her earliest role models. Her creative journey has taken her from Argentina’s vibrant nightlife scene, where she thrived as a drag queen, model, TV presenter, and DJ, to the international film world, where she now focuses on telling powerful stories about remarkable individuals. Victoria’s documentaries capture the lives of women who inspire her, women whose voices have often been overlooked or dismissed, and she approaches each story with a deep belief in equality, visibility, and the transformative force of femininity. Her work is grounded in activism and guided by a conviction that cinema can disrupt old narratives and challenge the privileges that shape our societies.
She carries with her a bold artistic voice shaped by years of performance, observation, and emotional honesty. Her curiosity about human nature is matched by a strong sense of social responsibility, which is visible in every project she embraces. Many people find her presence unforgettable because she blends artistic vision with a sincere commitment to justice and representation. Having lived in both Argentina and the United Kingdom, Victoria has gained a unique understanding of how culture shapes the experiences of transgender people and she speaks openly about the contrasts she has witnessed. Whether she discusses her academic research on transgender representation in Argentine cinema or the personal journey that led her to embrace her own femininity, she brings a sense of depth, clarity, and courage to every conversation. It is my pleasure to welcome this extraordinary artist to the interview.
Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of speaking with Victoria Divine, an Argentinian film director, producer, and performer whose artistic journey has inspired audiences around the world. Hello Victoria, it is wonderful to have you here.
Victoria: Hello Monika, I am very glad to join you.
Monika: How would you introduce yourself to someone who is meeting you for the first time?
Victoria: I’d like to say that I am someone with a constant urge to transform myself, and not just physically when I say transforming. I mean growing up, learning, and discovering. I started to express my gender identity in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the 1970s. I have been fascinated with trans women since an early age. At that time perhaps I didn’t know that I was one of them, but over the years I realized that those spectacular women I used to see were a part of who I am. I had a successful career as a drag queen artist, model, TV presenter, nightlife personality, and DJ in Buenos Aires. At some point I got bored, and I decided that it was the right time to spread my wings and fly away from South America.
Monika: Your films Angie Jack, which follows an Argentinian artist in London living with bipolar disorder, Maria Rosamojo, which features an extraordinary London-based singer and songwriter, and Darling, which portrays your late friend Charly Darling, all center on the lives of remarkable women. Is your focus on female stories intentional?
Victoria: My focus in documentary films is to capture people’s stories, and it happened that I am happier with female stories, both cisgender and transgender individuals, although not limited to those. The world is full of incredible people with stories to tell, stories that need to be told because they often face discrimination for being gay, for being women, for being Black. This world favors whiteness, and I think that this privileged position should change for good. This patriarchy we are living in has to have an ending. I strongly believe in equality and the power of estrogen.
Monika: Many people argue that the contemporary film industry still offers too few opportunities for women to share their talents and bring their stories to a wider audience. Do you agree with this view?
Victoria: That is true. Men, who favor other men, manage the film industry. If you take a look at how many men and women are directors, you will notice the difference. The film industry needs more female directors, producers, editors, writers, and camera operators. And the film industry needs more trans women and men as well. I’d like to see trans characters played by trans actors too.
Monika: Your graduation thesis examined transgender representation in Argentine cinema. Could you share more about the ideas behind this research?
Victoria: My thesis is called Beyond the Binary: An Analysis of Transgender Representation in Cinema from Argentina 1970 to 2010. In this piece of writing, I analyzed three particular periods in my home country, Argentina.
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| La Betty's make-up. |
Monika: Could you walk me through some of the films you focused on in each period?
Victoria: Films in the 1970s were made during a brutal dictatorship called the Dirty War, when people were disappearing. It was a very sad moment. One of the films I chose for this period is La Raulito by Lautaro Murúa, the story of a woman who disguises herself as a boy in order to survive on the streets of Buenos Aires.
In the 1980s, democracy started again, and I analyzed the films Tacos Altos and High Heels by Sergio Renán, with a trans character played by Willy Lemos, an Argentinian actor who often plays trans characters on TV and in cinema. This was a transition period from a dictatorship into democracy, and the representations of trans people were slightly progressing.
It was in the twenty first century that a young generation of directors made films such as Mia by Javier Van de Couter, in which the trans characters are treated with a different approach and given lead roles. I am so glad that this is happening after decades of feeling that trans people were objects of mockery and laughter.
Monika: Argentina is home to many talented transgender actresses, including Florencia Trinidad, Cris Miró, Camila Sosa Villada, Maiamar Abrodos, and Julia Amore. How do you view their presence and impact within the Argentinian film industry?
Victoria: I met Florencia a few times. She is doing well on TV as well as in the theater. Cris Miró was one of the first ones who became widely famous, and sadly she passed away a few years ago. Camila is the lead actress in the film Mia, which I mentioned before. Argentina has the most advanced law regarding transgender rights. This law allows you to change your name and gender without seeking psychiatric supervision or having to spend two years living in your chosen role. It is up to you to decide and no one else. For this, I am very thankful to President Cristina Kirchner’s government that passed the bill.
Monika: Some people speak about the idea of transgender art. How do you understand this concept, and what does it mean to you to be a transgender artist?
Victoria: I think that there is art, and then whoever makes art is an artist, regardless of whether you are transgender or cisgender. But yes, as a trans person and an artist, you have a platform for activism if you decide to use it. For me, it works this way.
Monika: How would you describe the current situation of transgender women in British society?
Victoria: British society and Argentinian society are completely different. Each has its good and bad aspects. For transgender people in the UK, it is easy to change legal names, but getting into the Gender Clinic is a tough process because it takes two years to get the first appointment, and the service is not always great. The treatment is not always great either, and many trans people need to buy their testosterone blockers.
Monika: And how would you compare this with the situation of transgender women in Argentina?
Victoria: In Argentina, these things are getting better. The problem with Argentina and Latin America in general is the high percentage of transsexual women who are murdered. This is a terrible problem that governments need to tackle. Catholicism strongly shapes Latin American society, and in such countries people tend to be narrow-minded. That is my view. I am an atheist.
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| Relaxing in Patagonia. |
Monika: Many transgender people describe a clear turning point when their transition began. How would you describe your own experience of realizing who you were?
Victoria: I think that in my mind I always felt different. They say you are born with one genitalia, but sometimes your brain can be the opposite. I tend not to see this thing as black or white. I feel feminine, which is different from feeling like a woman. I do not even know what it means to feel like a man.
Monika: How do you make sense of your identity today, and what does being transgender mean to you personally?
Victoria: Judith Butler, a writer, says that all gender is performative. I think that we choose how we want to express our gender, and by doing this, it becomes part of a performance. I feel I am a transgender person myself, but sometimes the term trans implies that you are going from one place to another. What happens is that what you are has always been there. Since you were in your mother’s womb? Perhaps my vision of what it means to be trans is a bit more progressive than most trans women or men think about it.
Monika: When you think back to the early stages of your transition, were there any transgender figures who inspired you or helped you imagine what your future could look like?
Victoria: I think that my first role models were these fantastic trans ladies I used to see at carnivals with scarce clothes, dancing and having fun. For me, this was the ultimate anarchist gender expression. Someone who destabilizes the status quo by being themselves.
Monika: As your journey continued, have your role models changed, and are there transgender women today whom you admire or look up to?
Victoria: I like Justin Vivian Bond, a cabaret artist from New York, Bibiana Fernandez, the Spanish Almodovar girl. I adore Amanda Lear despite the fact that she has never acknowledged her condition as a trans woman. My icons have always been Boy George and Pete Burns, you know, lots of hair and make-up (smiling).
Monika: Looking back, what part of living openly as yourself was emotionally the most difficult for you?
Victoria: I do not think there was a coming out in my life, I have always been myself. I tried to take it naturally; of course, I suffered bullying for being different. I am so happy that my mother started to call me Victoria last year. It was inevitable that after seeing me developing breasts with the hormone treatment, she started to change the way of addressing me. So bless her.
Monika: Within the wider LGBT community, do you feel the transgender community has enough visibility and space to advance its own goals and needs?
Victoria: I always remember why we celebrate Gay or GLBT Pride, and I recall this bar in New York called Stonewall. Do you know who was the first person to confront the police and throw the first stone at them? It was a transgender woman called Marsha P. Johnson. So I think that we owe the Pride to a transgender woman. So yes, I believe the T should be at the beginning. I think we are promoting our cause, but it would be nice to have more straight and gay allies for this cause.
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| Buenos Aires Primadonna. |
Monika: How do you feel about fashion, and what kind of clothing do you usually choose? Are there particular styles, colors, or trends that appeal to you?
Victoria: I used to like fashion when I was in my twenties. I don’t care about it anymore, to be honest. I always wear black, it’s easy to match as you can see and has fewer complications, but yes, I do have a sense of style, which I consider a bit Gothic, Rock and Roll type of girl. A mix between Siouxsie Sioux and Yves Saint Laurent, classy with a bit of darkness.
Monika: What role does love play in your life, and how has it shaped your experiences?
Victoria: Love is magic and one of the most beautiful things we can experience. I used to love so much in the past. I am a Latina trans woman, so we love with such a passion. I loved many men until my disappointment stepped in. Now all this love is for my family, my friends, and me. One day hopefully I will be able to meet the love of my life, which I have never met before. Hopefully. So everyone can apply. Tall, a bit geeky, and funny guys.
Monika: Many transgender women write memoirs. Have you ever thought about writing a book about your life?
Victoria: I have lots of funny anecdotes and some not so funny, but I am still young to write an autobiography. Perhaps it will be a good idea to start writing it before my memory fades. I’d like to write a book about being oneself and finding happiness, but it is not the right time yet.
Monika: Are you working on any new projects at the moment?
Victoria: Yes, I am working on a short documentary film called Darling about Charly Darling, my best friend who died last year. I think this will be my homage to a great friend and artist. She was the most colorful and nicest person you could see in Buenos Aires clubs. So this will be my tribute to her. I also plan to go back to my country and hopefully work in the film industry. I spent almost four months there last year and I fell in love with Buenos Aires again. The other day a friend told me that Argentina needs people like me, so yes, he is the reason I am coming back. He should find me a job. (smiling)
Monika: What advice would you give to transgender girls who are struggling with gender dysphoria?
Victoria: To find advice, get on the Internet; there are hundreds of places where you can get information nowadays, much better than twenty years ago. The Internet can be very helpful sometimes.
Monika: Victoria, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today.
Victoria: Thank you, Monika. It’s been a great pleasure!
All the photos: Courtesy of Victoria Divine.
© 2015 - Monika Kowalska
© 2015 - Monika Kowalska
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