XXY is a powerful Argentine drama that explores gender identity through the story of Alex, a 15-year-old intersex teenager who lives in a small coastal town with her loving but protective parents. Assigned female at birth and raised as a girl, Alex secretly stopped taking her hormone medication and now begins to confront her own complex sense of identity. Her body and emotions no longer fit neatly into the binary categories expected by society, and this tension lies at the heart of the film.
Alexโs parents invite a family of friends to visit, including a teenage boy named รlvaro. As the two teenagers grow closer, their relationship triggers confusion and attraction, pushing both to question their own desires and assumptions. For Alex, the experience becomes a catalyst to explore her intersexuality more openly, while รlvaro is drawn into a deeply personal emotional conflict that challenges his own notions of masculinity and sexuality.
The film examines the roles of parents, particularly Alexโs father, who struggles between wanting to protect his child and letting her make decisions about her body and future. Their home becomes a quiet battleground for these deeply personal choices, as outside pressures from society, doctors, and even well-meaning friends begin to close in.
Shot with delicate realism and a restrained emotional tone, XXY avoids sensationalism and instead focuses on the quiet inner lives of its characters. It portrays the isolation and bravery of someone growing up outside of binary norms, while also asking viewers to consider how society reacts to what it doesnโt understand.
In the end, XXY is less about providing answers and more about inviting empathy. It paints an intimate portrait of adolescence, difference, and acceptance, anchored by a compelling performance from Inรฉs Efron as Alex. The film remains a deeply human exploration of identity that resonates far beyond its specific subject.
