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Three trans men in the film Unhung Heroes. Two are men of colour, one is lighter-skinned. All three are sitting around a table, looking into the distance with thoughtful expressions.

Unhung Heroes

Short Film
2002
United States of America, Germany
Five trans men, after finding a flyer advertising penis transplants, imagine their lives post-transplant and come up with plans to get enough money for a transplant each. Written and directed by trans man Lazlo Pearlman. Stars Mestizo-American trans man Prado Gomez and German-American trans man Max Wolf Valerio.

Watch.


Available Summary:

"In 2002 I wrote and directed Unhung Heroes, a short comic fiction film about five FTM transgender guys who, after finding an internet article announcing the first actual penis transplants are about to be performed (true story), imagine a scheme to come up with over a million dollars in surgery money. Riffing on Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, Busby Berkeley musicals and the 1970's gay soft porn films starring Peter Berlin, this action-packed comedy starts with their experience of life as a "guy without a dick", then follows their rosy fantasies of life post-transplant, and the crazy imaginary lengths they go to for the money." -Lazlo Pearlman's website.


WARNINGS: Bandage binding, brief comedic nudity, discussion of sex and anatomy, reclaimed trans and gay slurs, comedic exploration of serious issues and struggles.

Pretty ridiculous and funny!



Entry last updated:

10 Mar 2026

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