|
VANCOUVER PREMIERE // VANCITY THEATRE EXCLUSIVE FIRST RUN
Lucía Puenzo's accomplished debut explores the painful search for gender identity of Alex (an outstanding performance by Inés Efron), a hermaphrodite, as she enters adolescence and is pressured by her parents to "choose."
Alex's ambiguity is painfully apparent. She is forced to think about having her penis removed when her parents invite a surgeon to their home in an isolated area of the Uruguayan coast. He comes to visit with his wife and son, Álvaro. Alex and Álvaro strike up a friendship, and it soon emerges that they are equally confused and curious about sex, sexuality and gender. At the same time, they are obviously much less confused and fearful than their parents, whose prejudices often unknowingly hurt their children. Alex's father, Kraken (Ricardo Darín), is the only adult who tries to understand the difficult choice facing his child, and the only one who grasps the true nature of Alex's relationship with Álvaro.
Gracefully shot, XXY tastefully explores its subject matter with as little adornment as possible—silences and atmosphere communicate much. The film's most astonishing trait is its openness and lack of judgment as it tackles this difficult, emotional topic. Moving and forceful, XXY virtually demands that people be given freedom of choice in a tolerant and understanding atmosphere.—Diana Sanchez, Toronto International Film Festival.
Lucía Puenzo was born in Buenos Aires and has a Ph.D. in Argentine literature and critical theory from the University of Buenos Aires. She has written three novels and several television scripts, and directed a short film, The Invisibles, in 2004. XXY is her feature film directorial debut.
"..one of the year's most impressive directing debuts." — Andrew O' Hehir, Salon
|
