Image+Nation’08 Review: XXY

Argentinean film XXY breaks new ground in its depiction of intersexuality (or hermaphroditism). With little exposition, thirty-five year-old director Lucia Puenzo has deftly handled the issue in a way that seemingly abates any need for further films on the subject matter: the protagonist’s perception of the body as alien, gender confusion, the community’s side-show interest, a split on parental decisions, medical theory, and apt use of metaphor throughout. XXY is as disturbing as it is real and illuminating, and its serious consideration of a person born intersexual makes it a watershed in gender film.

Kraken and Suli have made a preliminary decision concerning Alex, whose gender-neutral name perfectly exemplifies “her” physical body. Alex was born with two discernible genitalia; while the majority of physicians and parents make a decision at birth on which sex is predominant, Kraken and Suli resisted. Now that Alex is fifteen, her parents have decided to bring a physician and propose that Alex’s male member be taken off. Having been raised female with the help of daily medication which she is now refusing to take, Alex faces a gender crisis as she realizes she is attracted to the visiting physician’s son, Alvaro. The extent of this confusion is further compounded by Alex’s parents: Suli is obviously concerned about Alex becoming more masculine and uses the term “her”, while Kraken is caught using the term “my son” more than once. Even Alex’s room is in gender disarray: naked dolls line her desk, all with penises placed on.

Alex becomes increasingly interested in Alvaro

XXY is not an easy film to watch. Lucia Puenzo made the interesting choice of alienating the audience from Alex at first. Concerns that she is viewed of a monster are reinforced by first impressions on film: Alex hiding beneath the deck like a troll, staring at the physician’s family, only the eyes visible. Her wide gaze is disconcerting, more like an animals than a teenagers. The fear her parents have of Alex being treated like a freakshow are formally represented by the director, and only gradually does this disturbed illustration of the protagonist move from her outward akwardness to her inner turmoil. As the audience begins to understand her own perception of her body, so intersexuality no longer becomes a discomfort. Just when Alex is once again seen as a regular teenager does the vicious xenophobia manifest itself in the actions of three stupid teenagers. Now it is no longer Alex that disturbs, but others’ need for visual satisfaction.

A physical manifestation of gender confusion

Lucia Puenzo decides not to indulge in this fascination. Alex, when naked, is always seen in the shadows - never fully revealed. It is one of the choices made that makes XXY a human film, aimed at displaying one community’s (Uruguay) way of handling diversity, and educating an audience in the only way it can: through shock, disgust, and finally empathy.