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HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY Premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

Fearless civil rights lawyer Chase Strangio battles at the Supreme Court for transgender adolescents’ access to gender-affirming healthcare, confronting not only the legal system but also a media landscape that distorts public perception and threatens the struggle for trans rights. With the dangerous SCOTUS decision upholding the ban on life-saving healthcare, HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY is an urgent call to action against bigotry and injustice.

“Essential and accessible.”

“Packs a powerful punch.

“[A] stirring exposé.”

ABOUT THE FILM

HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY follows Chase Strangio, ACLU attorney and the first out trans person to argue before the Supreme Court, as he fights a high-stakes legal battle to overturn Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth (United States v. Skrmetti).

The film exposes the dangerous role of mainstream media in fueling anti-trans legislation, uncovering how biased coverage drives hate, endangers lives, and threatens democracy itself. With insights from journalists like Jelani Cobb, Lydia Polgreen, and Gina Chua, and activists like Laverne Cox, the story dismantles anti-trans disinformation and highlights its devastating real-world impact.

With the dangerous SCOTUS decision upholding the ban on life-saving healthcare, HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY is an urgent call to action against bigotry and injustice.

WATCH

UPCOMING SCREENINGS

HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and has since screened at select festivals across the globe. The film begins its U.S. theatrical release this summer, beginning July 18 in New York City at DCTV.

FILMMAKERS

SAM FEDER

DIRECTOR / PRODUCER

Sam Feder is a Peabody Award-nominated film director and writer. Sam’s films explore the intersection of visibility and politics along the lines of race, class, and gender. Sam directed the award-winning Netflix Original documentary DISCLOSURE (2020) and the widely acclaimed documentary Kate Bornstein Is a Queer & Pleasant Danger. 

AMY SCHOLDER

PRODUCER

Amy Scholder has produced two highly acclaimed feature films. My Name Is Andrea, a hybrid documentary about feminist iconoclast Andrea Dworkin, directed by Pratibha Parmar, premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. Disclosure, a documentary about the history transgender representation in film and TV directed by Sam Feder, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and was released as a Netflix Original in June 2020.

PAOLA MENDOZA

PRODUCER

Paola Mendoza is a film director, activist, author, and artist. She is a co-founder of The Women’s March and served as its Artistic Director. She was a leading participant in the New York Times best-seller Together We Rise: Behind the Scenes at the Protest Heard Around the World (Dey Street Books, January 2018). As a film director, tackling complex issues like poverty and immigration and the impacts on women and children in the United States, her films have premiered at prestigious film festivals around the world.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Laverne Cox
S. Mona Sinha
Bill & Ruth Ann Harnisch
Lisa Freeman
Sara Hinkle

CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Charlotte Cook
Andrew Kim

Contributing Producer 
James Costa
Danielle Benedict
Jake Casey

Consulting Producer 
Gina Chua
Muna Mire
Alberto Cairo

Editor
Emelie Mahdavian

Assistant Editor
Nancy Nguyen

Director of Photography
Martin DiCicco

Director of Photography
Mariam Dwedar

Music
Jonathan Sanford

Assistant Director
Laura Klein

Production Coordinator
Lauren Greenhall

Camera Operator
Emir Fils-Aime

First Assistant Camera
Madeline Rivera

Digital Imaging Technician
Madeline Rivera
Khadijah Wilson

Additional Camera
Derek Howard
Maksim Axelrod
Lauren Mendoza
J. Bennett
Chris Wairegi
Whitney Shefte

Chief Lighting Technician
Omar Nasr

Key Grip
Alex Blum 

G&E Swing
Agustina Biasutto

Production Sound
Wesley Grant 

Additional Sound
Amelia Palmer 
Jim Choi
Aisha Hallgren

Production Design
Violet Overn 

On-Set Dresser
Leda Seda

Art Assistant
Alexis Blake

Make Up Artist 
Judy Chung 
Robert Reyes 

Hair Stylist
Dee Tranny Bear 
M Alsondo 

Production Assistant
Griffin Garnett
Mariales Diaz
Claire Seaton

Production DEI Specialist
S. Leigh Thompson

As the Production DEI Specialist for Heightened Scrutiny, S. Leigh Thompson ensured the production team's strong trans-inclusive intentions were fully enacted on set. Leigh trained crew members on affirming practices, supported talent and staff in navigating sensitive topics, and conducted pre- and post-interviews with each on-screen participant to ensure they felt prepared and supported. He helped create an environment where everyone could engage with the film’s complex themes with care, clarity, and confidence.  

FEATURED IN THE FILM

  • Tre'Vell Anderson

    Journalist and Author

  • Mina Brewer

    Real Estate Agent

  • Alberto Cairo

    Knight Chair in Infographics & Data Visualization, University of Miami

  • Gina Chua

    Executive Editor, Semafor,
    Board Member, Trans Journalists Association

  • Jelani Cobb

    Dean, Columbia School of Journalism
    Staff Writer, The New Yorker

  • Laverne Cox

    Actress and Producer

  • Jude Ellison S. Doyle

    Journalist and Author

  • Ari Drennen

    Media Matters LGBTQ Program Director

  • Morgan D. Givens

    Audio Journalist

  • Julie Hollar

    Senior Analyst, FAIR

  • Sabrina Imbler

    Staff Writer, Defector
    New York Times Fellow 2022

  • Elliot Page

    Actor and Producer

  • Miss Peppermint

    TV Actress and Broadway Performer

  • Kae Petrin

    Data & Graphics Reporter, Civic News Company
    Co-Founder, Trans Journalists Association

  • Lydia Polgreen

    Opinion Columnist, New York Times

  • Erin Reed

    Journalist

  • Chase Strangio

    Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

  • Evan Urquart

    Journalist and Founder, Assigned Media

  • Lewis Raven Wallace

    Journalist and Author

SELECT PRESS

We Created The Film to Address How Journalism Was Perpetuating Anti-Trans Bias:' Sam Feder on Heightened Scrutiny

Deadline, July 16, 2025 

An up-close look at levelheaded ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio as he embarks on a high-stakes journey preparing to become the first known transgender person to make oral arguments before the most consequential platform of all: the Supreme Court of the United States. READ MORE

The Supreme Court failed Trans People, but Heightened Scrutiny Reveals How the Media Targeted Them

Deadline, July 14, 2025 

United States v. Skrmetti may be over, but Sam Feder's documentary makes another case against click-hungry publications. READ MORE

‘Heightened Scrutiny,’ Featuring Attorney Who Argued Supreme Court Case, To Get Theatrical Release From Fourth Act Film

Deadline, July 1, 2025

The film will release theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on July 18, with additional cities to follow.al. READ MORE

Supreme Court decision looms over 49th Frameline LGBTQ+ film festival

San Francisco Chronicle, June 13 2025

Executive Director Allegra Madsen and her team have programmed a proactive slate of issue-oriented films for the event that sends a clear message: The queer community isn’t going anywhere. No film embodies that spirit more than “Heightened Scrutiny.” READ MORE

Hollywood Needs More Queer Muslim Stories—Here Are 5 to Consider

Out Magazine, June 12, 2025

Slight tangent here: At the Sundance Film Festival, I watched this incredible new doc, Heightened Scrutiny, from director Sam Feder. READ MORE

'Heightened Scrutiny' Details the High-Stakes Supreme Court Case Over Trans Health Care

NBC News, May 26, 2025

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision in the next few weeks in a high-stakes case that could affect transgender people’s access to transition-related care nationwide. READ MORE

Frameline To Host California Premiere Of ‘Heightened Scrutiny’ As Trump Administration Sharpens Assault On Trans Rights

Deadline, April 30, 2025

Frameline – the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival – announced it will host the California premiere of Sam Feder’s film at the 49th edition of the festival. READ MORE

Frameline Announces 2025 Completion Fund Recipients, Celebrating LGBTQ+ Stories

Variety, March 19, 2025

Sam Feder (“Heightened Scrutiny”) is among Frameline’s recipients for its 2025 Completion Fund grants, Variety can exclusively reveal. READ MORE

’Heightened Scrutiny’ Is a Somber Reminder of Why We Fight for Trans Rights

Out Magazine, February 6, 2025

The documentary points out that even when we feel depressed and pessimistic, we can’t give up hope, and we can’t give up the fight. READ MORE

Memo to Distributors: Buy These Sundance 2025 Movies

IndieWire, February 4, 2025

Don't be fooled by the slow sales market — smart distributors will find that plenty of great Sundance movies are still up for grabs. READ MORE

Breakout Sundance Films and Key Takeaways From This Year’s Festival

AP News, February 1, 2025

Some films offered an escape from reality; others were a pointed reminder of the domestic and international political landscape. Here are some of the takeaways. READ MORE

‘Heightened Scrutiny’ Follows Supreme Court Battle For Trans Rights Led By History-Making Chase Strangio

Deadline, January 29, 2025

Director Sam Feder and Chase Strangio discuss the film at the Deadline Hollywood Sundance Studio. WATCH NOW

Review: A Transgender Attorney Heads to the Supreme Court in an Emotional and Informative Doc

Variety, January 28, 2025

An immense amount of care and detail goes into the film’s construction, deepening its use of traditional form and packing a powerful punch. READ MORE

Review: A Transgender Attorney Heads to the Supreme Court in an Emotional and Informative Doc

The Guardian, January 28, 2025

The new film premiering at Sundance looks at the troubling rise in anti-trans legislation and the mainstream media outlets who have helped stoke the fire. READ MORE

Review: Arguments Against Trans Rights Are Eviscerated in Timely Legal Documentary

IndieWire, January 27, 2025

ACLU attorney Chase Strangio gears up for a Supreme Court battle that directly affects his life and humanity in stirring exposé from director Sam Feder. READ MORE

‘The Enormity of This Historical Moment wasn’t Lost on Me’ Sam Feder on ‘Heightened Scrutiny’

Filmmaker Magazine, January 27, 2025

Sam Feder talks to Filmmaker Magazine about his new documentary that’s premiering at Sundance. READ MORE

Sundance 2025 Features Uncharted Queer Territory and Reimagined LGBTQ Classics

NBC News, January 23, 2025

Eugene Hernandez says that the process for programming begins right after the festival ends. This year, they received 16,000 submissions and as they sort through films in the early process queer stories start to show themselves. READ MORE

Sundance Programmers Say Political Documentaries Are Still Crucial, Despite Challenging Market

Variety, January 23, 2025

It’s no secret that corporations like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple have lost their appetite for current event documentaries that tackle politics. READ MORE

Sundance Film Festival Unveils a Lineup Heavy on Politics

The New York Times, December 11, 2024

Documentarian Sam Feder was shooting in Washington as recently as last week for “Heightened Scrutiny,” about the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Chase Strangio and his battle before the Supreme Court for transgender rights. READ MORE

Sundance Film Festival Director Talks Urgency of Queer Storytelling at this Year’s Fest

GLAAD, January 23, 2025

Eugene Hernandez says that the process for programming begins right after the festival ends. This year, they received 16,000 submissions and as they sort through films in the early process queer stories start to show themselves. READ MORE

Sundance 2025 Has a Top-Tier Lineup of Queer Projects

Out Magazine, December 11, 2024

Amid the surge in anti-trans legislation that Chase Strangio battles in the courtroom, he must also fight against media bias, exposing how the narratives in the press influence public perception and the fight for transgender rights. READ MORE

The Sundance Team on 2025 Standouts

IndieWire, December 11, 2024

Sam Feder’s doc profiling ACLU Attorney Chase Strangio, who’s a trans man, is just being finished, but a key part of this film is what happened last week at the Supreme Court. READ MORE