Check out this week in French theaters this new film by Lucia Puenzo (Luis Puenzo’s daughter -he made The Official Story), which was awarded the International Critics Prize in Cannes this year. XXY is touring right now prestigious film festivals such as Rio, Toronto or Edinburgh and will open in most European countries in the next couple of months.
XXY stands out as the first film to broach in a frontal yet sensitive manner the question of hermaphrodism with a genuine cinematographical approach. Young Inés Efron performs remarkably as she acts with subtlety the physical and psychological torment of the 15-year-old heroin, which immediately throw us into the heart (and body) of the subject. Argentinian star Ricardo Darin is very convincing too as the young girl’s father, who has no clue how he can help his sibling, while young Martin Piroyansky goes through a complex and painful love experience.
XXY is an attaching film, the emotions of which are so genuine –while in turn violent, unspeakable and refrained- that one can only be deeply moved and disturbed given the extreme complexity of the subject yet directed with utmost delicacy and intelligence by Lucia Puenzo.