XXY
An intersex teenager is set on a difficult path of self-discoveryWhen marine biologist Karark and his wife Suli decided to raise their intersex child Alex as a girl, they left Buenos Aires for the Uruguayan coast in hopes of a peaceful and anonymous life. Now fifteen, the precocious and feisty Alex struggles with a burgeoning sexuality and an unwanted secret in the gossipy fishing village. Fiercely protective of their child and uncomfortable with her sexual development, Alex's fearful parents encourage her to 'choose' a gender.
Believing she has Alex's best interest at heart, Suli invites some family friends to visit, with an ulterior motive, since Ramiro is a plastic surgeon that she hopes will convince her reluctant husband that surgery is a viable option. Events take a drastic turn, however, as Alex strikes up a relationship with Ramiro's introverted son Alvaro - grappling with his own issues of sexuality - setting two families at odds and Alex on her own difficult but defining path of self-discovery.
Argentina's nominee for Best Foreign Language Academy Award 2008, Lucía Puenzo's accomplished debut is bold and unadorned storytelling that sensitively explores the sexual awakening and confusion of one intersex teenager.
XXY's ethereal blue palette and long shots of the wind-swept ocean and expansive sky mirror the openness with which Puenzo approaches her struggling characters and their desire for authentic connection. Standout performances by Inés Efron and Ricardo Darín (El Aura, Nine Queens) contribute to this delicate yet powerful drama by one of Argentina's most exciting new directors.
Kyle Stephan
