JHB Sat 5th / 8.15pm + GUEST ♥ Wed 9th / 7pm + GUESTS ♥ Fri 11th / 9pm
CT Sat 12th / 8.45pm + GUESTS ♥ Tue 15th / 8.15pm + GUESTS ♥ Thu 17th / 9pm

Now that the Film & Publication Board’s 2008 banning order on the film has been overturned, OIA has the pleasure of presenting XXY, director Lucía Puenzo and actor Inés Efrón (Alex), to Festival audiences.

Living in a coastal Uruguayan town, 15 year old Alex has been isolated and protected by her parents, Kraken and Suli. As puberty get its grip on the teen, they think that now is the time for Alex to make a decision regarding her gender identity. Suli invites a top plastic surgeon and his family to stay and assist them with a decision. However, sexually aggressive Alex is far more interested in the surgeon’s closeted son, Alvaro. Whilst the parents agonise over the conundrum presented by Alex’s confusing gender, the teens get on with their complex exploration of sexuality and identity. Beautifully shot, sparsely scripted and with stellar performances, this calmly observed, quietly unassuming film is as much about the psychological fallout of family anxieties as the confusion surrounding gender and sexual orientation.

Director Puenzo and Actor Efrón are guests of the Festival. They will conduct Q&As after screenings in Jozi and in CT — see our programme for details.