THE Argentine drama “XXY” is a teenage love story with a twist: The “girl,” Alex, is a hermaphrodite. Alex lives with her parents in a remote area on the Uruguayan shore, where they moved to avoid prying neighbors.
The girl is as well adjusted as can be, considering her sexual ambiguity. Now 15, she’s a woman above the waist and a man below it, although she lives as a female.
Then family friends come to visit, bringing along their 16-year-old son, Alvaro. There’s immediate attraction between the two teenagers, which leads to sex.
Imagine how surprised Alvaro is to discover Alex’s secret.
Ines Efron and Martin Piroyanski give strong performances as Alex and Alvaro, respectively. Debuting director Lucia Puenzo, who co-scripted, tackles a dicey subject with sensitivity and taste. And despite explicit scenes of sex and nudity, she avoids any temptation to titillate the audience.
In Spanish, with English subtitles. Running time: 91 minutes. Not rated (explicit sex and nudity). At the Cinema Village, 12th Street, east of Fifth Avenue.