Screening at the Hollywood Queer Short Film Festival (HQSFF) on October 5th at 7:00 PM. Click here for tickets: HQSFF
By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 10/4/25 – We all have goals in life and often spend years working tirelessly to achieve them. Along the way, sacrifices are made, and we are forced to navigate ethical dilemmas and emotional challenges that shape our journey. But what happens when achieving that lifelong dream comes at the cost of the love and stability we’ve built?
This is the central conflict in Pace, a poignant short film from writer/director Beck Williams.
At the heart of the story is Remy (Beck Williams), a transmasculine boxer wrestling with body dysphoria and facing the difficult choice of transitioning, even if it risks destroying their marriage. When Remy encounters Joey, a shy trans boxer returning to the gym after their own transition, the two form an unexpected bond. Joey’s fears of judgment from the boxing community mirror Remy’s own struggles, and together they find solace, strength, and solidarity in the ring.
As Remy’s relationship with their wife reaches a breaking point, Joey’s quiet resilience offers a powerful reminder: “it’s okay not to have all the answers yet.”
By setting the narrative in a boxing gym, Williams skillfully transforms the sport into a metaphor for the internal and external battles trans people face—before, during, and after transition. Pace sheds light on these deeply personal struggles with authenticity, empathy, and courage.
In an exclusive conversation with The Hollywood Times, Williams emphasized the boxing setting as a natural extension of the film’s themes: “It’s about showing the fight that so many of us endure, not just in the ring, but in life.”
