The year is 1981. Trevor (Brett Barsky) is a thirteen-year-old boy who’s convinced that, despite how theatrical his fake death performances are, his parents couldn’t care less as to whether he lives or dies. He writes in a diary, is obsessed with Diana Ross, and wants to make musical theater his life.

When Trevor confides in a classmate about his crush on his new best friend, Pinky Farrady (Jonah Rooney), rumors spread throughout school that Trevor is gay. He’s ignored and feels completely invisible by the other kids and even by his own parents (John Lizzi and Judy Kain). As if the prejudice and rejection he faces from everyone else isn’t enough, Trevor feels completely defeated and upset when Pinky calls him a fairy who doesn’t deserve to live.

After his parents find his diary and discover the truth, Trevor becomes a prisoner in his own life and questions his future. He is unable to cure his homosexuality and wishes he could transform into someone else. Since everyone already knows that he’s gay, Trevor realizes there’s no escaping this truth. He leaves a note for his parents identifying the wishes he hopes they will carry out after his death. As Trevor begins swallowing pills, one-by-one, he relishes in the music of his favorite singer. Will Trevor’s attempt to take his own life be successful or will he find that life has “just begun?”

"Trevor" won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. Although it deals with serious and emotional issues, this film somehow managed to be humorous and entertaining. In large part, this was due to Trevor’s vivid imagination, whimsical disposition, and playful expressions. I thought the “Dear Diary” angle was clever and gave the viewer a real understanding of the main character’s thoughts and feelings.

I Absolutely recommend you check out, "Trevor", especially if you’re a fan of the fabulous Diana Ross. Snippets of so many of her hits were played in such a short amount of time. The soundtrack to Trevor’s life experiences correlated so naturally with her inspirational lyrics.

Not only were the creators of "Trevor" innovators in the film industry, but in the mental health field as well, particularly in service to the LGBTQ community. "Trevor" was the inspiration for The Trevor Project, a national nonprofit organization that offers suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to LGBTQ youth—twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Since its creation, The Trevor Project has provided lifesaving and educational training programs to hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ youth under the age of twenty-five. Thanks to the safe space and resources that this amazing organization provides, many lives have been saved.

The positive message conveyed in the film and by the work of The Trevor Project is timeless—everyone deserves a future and everyone’s life matters.