Synopsis
Lucia Puenzo's drama XXY probes the psychological aftereffects that adolescent transsexuality can yield. With a name easily applicable to either gender, young teenager Alex (Ines Efron)'s hermaphroditic physiology causes a massive identity crisis and severe emotional withdrawal. The problems create social problems in the family's home of Argentina and virtually force Alex and his/her sympathetic parents, Kraken (Ricardo Darin) and Suli (Valeria Bertuchelli) to move to nearby Uruguay, at a point when Alex wrestles with the throes of puberty. The situation grows increasingly complex when several friends of the family arrive: marrieds Erika (Carolina Pelereti) and Ramiro (German Palacios), a plastic surgeon, and their adolescent son, Alvaro (Martin Piroyanski), whom Alex instantly propositions for sex. As Alex battles some local punks who try unsuccessfully to rape him/her (saved at the last minute by Kraken), Alvaro finally accepts Alex's promptings for intercourse and comes to a gradual realization of his own gayness. Meanwhile, the rift between the adults and the youth widens with increasing rapidity. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Year: 2007
Runtime: 86
Country: France
MPAA Rating: NR
Category: Feature
Sound
Dolby Digital
Produced by
Historias Cinematograficas
Pyramide Productions
Wanda Vision
Release
May 02, 2008 (USA - Limited)
by
Film Movement (USA)
Awards
2007 - International Critics' Week Grand Prize - Cannes Film Festival
2007 - Best Spanish Language Foreign Film - Goya Award
2007 - Film Presented - Toronto International Film Festival
2007 - Film Presented - Bangkok International Film Festival
2007 - Best Spanish Language Foreign Film - Goya Awards
2008 - Film Presented - Palm Springs International Film Festiva
2008 - Film Presented - Miami International Film Festival
2008 - Film Presented - Santa Barbara International Film Festiv
2008 - Film Presented - New Directors/New Films
2008 - Film Presented - Seattle International Film Festival
2008 - Film Presented - San Francisco International LGBT Film F
2008 - Film Presented - Philadelphia International Gay and Lesb