What Will I Become? — NewFest Review
Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos’s directorial debut, What Will I Become?, was featured as the Documentary Centerpiece at this year’s NewFest. It’s also one of the best documentaries I’ve seen all year. The film takes a look at a troubling statistic: more than 50% of transgender boys have attempted suicide. The directors examine what contributes to this alarming rate, shedding light on many of the challenges that transmasculine youth face. The subject matter is undeniably heavy, so I can understand why some moviegoers may be hesitant to watch a film like What Will I Become?, but this documentary is as compassionately crafted as it is essential.
The filmmakers traveled across the United States to conduct interviews and gather footage, weaving together their own personal experiences with an exploration of the legacies of two transgender teenagers who died by suicide in 2015: Blake Brockington and Kyler Prescott. Blake was a musician and the first openly transgender high school homecoming king in North Carolina. He was 18 years old when he died. Kyler was a California-based pianist, poet, and artist who took his own life at the age of 14.
The film opens by introducing us to the filmmakers, Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos, as they sit inside a handmade fort adorned with lights. This setting not only produces a cozy atmosphere, but it also evokes the nostalgia of childhood sleepovers. It calls to mind a simpler time when a blanket fort was a place to confide in your best friend and share your deepest, darkest secrets. Within the first five minutes, the significance of the film’s title becomes apparent as Lexie turns to Logan and asks, “When you first came out as a trans boy, what did you want to become?” Logan replies, “I knew what I didn’t want to become, which was the kind of man that other people couldn’t feel safe around.” This exchange establishes the film as a safe space for both the filmmakers and the audience, a place where vulnerability is welcome.
What Will I Become? is a carefully constructed film that handles such a harrowing subject with remarkable sensitivity. One of the things I appreciated is the way the filmmakers managed to infuse the film with moments of levity despite its tragic themes. There’s a joyful segment showcasing creative packers, gender-affirming devices worn inside the pants to create the appearance of a bulge. This offers a welcome reprieve while simultaneously highlighting the ingenuity and self-expression of the transmasculine community. The film’s thoughtful craftsmanship is equally evident in its animated sequences. The decision to include animation that incorporates sheet music echoes Kyler’s artistic sensibilities and Blake’s musical talents. One example occurs during an interview with Kyler’s mother. As she recalls how her son would scoop bees out of the pool and place them on flowers to dry their wings, an animated bee made of sheet music appears alongside a flower on screen. The image then transitions through a match cut of Kyler’s mother holding a glass with a bee on it, seamlessly connecting her recollection to the present moment. This small but poignant detail offers a glimpse of Kyler’s loving and caring nature, making his loss all the more devastating.
Kyler was a passionate animal rights activist, and Blake was a vocal advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community who also organized protests against police brutality. Both teenagers demonstrated a deep concern for the lives and well-being of others. There’s a cruel irony in knowing that two people who displayed so much compassion were themselves unable to find the support and understanding they deserved. Their stories are part of a much larger tragedy, reflecting the many lives lost to suicide within the transgender community. As the filmmakers contemplate, “Blake and Kyler can’t ask themselves what will they become, so we all have to.” What Will I Become? is more than a thoughtful and informative exploration of the transmasculine experience; it’s also a call to action. The film encourages us to consider how we can better support trans youth while they’re still here.
What Will I Become? asks its audience to look beyond statistics and recognize the individual lives behind them. Blake and Kyler were more than the circumstances of their deaths; they were kind, talented, and passionate young people who cared deeply. Their stories make the film’s title all the more heartbreaking, reminding us of the futures they didn’t get a chance to discover. Filmmakers Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos have crafted a gentle, moving documentary that approaches a difficult subject with tremendous sensitivity and care. By honoring and celebrating Blake and Kyler as individuals while simultaneously sharing their own experiences, they've created a film that’s deeply affecting. Their willingness to share their own pain serves as a reminder that we still have so much work to do. Trans youth deserve to feel supported, loved, and respected, and that support must extend beyond acceptance to include access to affirming mental health care and other vital resources. Every trans young person should be seen as more than a statistic; they deserve the opportunity to thrive and find out for themselves what they will become.
What Will I Become? had its New York City premiere at NewFest on October 17, 2026. It is currently available to stream on NewFest’s virtual platform.
