Nothing Screams “Netflix” Like a Transgender Coal Miner Movie

Netflix is back with another case study in how to waste time and money on content no one asked for. The streaming giant’s latest project, Queen of Coal, is a Spanish-Argentine film about a transgender coal miner who takes on “the patriarchy.” The film opens with this line in its description: “A trans woman dreams of working the coal mines — but in a town steeped in superstition and patriarchy, Carlita must fight to earn her place underground.”

That might be Netflix’s own warning label for what’s coming.

The movie is based on the story of Carla Antonella “Carlita” Rodríguez, described as the first transgender woman to mine coal in Río Turbio, Argentina. Playing Carlita is Lux Pascal, a transgender activist and actor whose brother, Pedro Pascal, spends his free time cheering for every progressive cause on social media. It’s a family business.

Right

— @JosetteCaruso Josette Caruso (@JosetteCaruso_) December 10, 2025

So, the story is about a man who wants to work in the mines? And a town full of grown arse adults who, for some reason, forget that as trans women are men, their superstition doesn’t actually apply? Well, I’m not cancelling Netflix, but this won’t be on my list to watch.

— NubiBlue ➕💎 ⬛ (@NubiBlue) December 10, 2025

Carlita is not the first female coal miner in the community because Carlita is a male who identifies as a woman.

Men have stolen the word Woman from us. They don’t get to steal the word female too.

— Idola Saint-Jean (@IdolaSaintJean) December 10, 2025

Of course Pedro has a trans brother… Now everything makes sence…

— Lux (@ZoLu37) December 11, 2025

Queen of Coal was directed by Agustina Macri, written by Erika Halvorsen and Mara Pescio, and filmed partly in Spain and Argentina’s Patagonia region. It will debut in Spain and Argentina before competing at the Rome Film Festival in the “Progressive Cinema Competition — Visions for the World of Tomorrow.” You don’t need to see the movie to guess who they think the villain is.

Netflix seems to believe people are desperate for a film about a man pretending to be a woman proving she can mine coal just as well as the men who aren’t pretending. The company might think this counts as bravery, but most viewers are just wondering if there’s anyone left in Hollywood capable of making a movie about normal people doing normal things.

The streaming service keeps pushing this kind of agenda-driven content, and it keeps losing subscribers who are tired of being lectured while they’re trying to relax. There was already a “Cancel Netflix” buzz earlier this year after people noticed the steady stream of pro-trans programming aimed at children. Maybe Netflix should focus on something radical… like entertaining normal people.

Queen of Coal arrived on Netflix a few days ago, and Film Threat posted the following review.

Don’t expect any buffering on this movie. The only thing deeper than the mines in this story might be the audience’s sigh when they scroll right past it.

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