It stars Elz Carrad in his feature film debut, along with Arlo Green, Kirk Torrance, Awhina-Rose Ashby, Aroha Rawson, Renee Sheridan and Ramon Te Wake.

It was screened at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco, where it won an Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, and was released to New Zealand theatres on 4 February 2021.

[4] Taika Waititi's sister Tweedie was also brought in as a consultant on the film to help develop the Māori storylines to ensure an accurate and authentic representation.

[8] When Elz Carrad, who had no prior experience in theatre, TV or film, sent in an audition tape, Currie said he was "extraordinary", and not only was he trans, but also Māori.

After seeing Carrad's audition, Currie said he realised that this production was going to be "something really special", and went on to say that it's "really important that those characters are owned and created by people who have that life experience".

[8] As for his own involvement in the film, Currie said the producers tried to find a trans director, but couldn't due to a lack of experience, so they settled on a "salty old homosexual".

[13] Alex Heeney said it is a film that "is all in the character details, and is filled with so many beautiful, lived in performances" and it is definitely an "emotionally satisfying and cathartic experience".

[14] into:screens said the film offers "genuine representation of Aotearoa’s transgender community in both performative and production roles", and that is a "momentous victory".

[15] Alistair Ryder writing in View of the Arts said it will "prove enlightening for cis viewers, but the film isn’t directly aimed at them, it’s an authentic account of a specific trans experience that is rarely dramatised in this way...and is a slow-burning character study that reveals itself to be insightful and charming in equal measure".

[16] Graeme Tuckett from Stuff wrote "the performances and writing are universally strong, the camera work, sound and especially the editing are excellent and the storytelling is clear and sharp".