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OIA win case for Argentina's XXY

21 Aug 2009

The Film and Publication Board's 2008 banning order on Argentinian film "XXY" has been overturned. Out In Africa (OIA) plans to present "XXY", director Lucía Puenzo and actor Inés Efron, at this years OUT IN AFRICA South African Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. The event takes place in Johannesburg from 3 - 13 September 2009 and in Cape Town from 10 - 20 September 2009.

"XXY" is based on the following synopsis:

"Living in a coastal Uruguayan town, 15 year old Alex has been isolated and protected by her parents, Kraken and Suli. As puberty gets 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."

The film focuses on the psychological fallout of family anxieties due to the confusion surrounding gender and sexual orientation.

The film has won a number of awards including the Cannes Film Festival 2007; Critics Week Grand Prize, Grand Golden Rail Edinburgh IFF 2007, New Director's Award Athens IFF 2007, Golden Athena Award GOYA Awards 2008; Best Spanish Language Foreign Film and San Francisco IL&GFF 2008; Audience Award Best Feature Film.

The festival features 17 international feature films and nine South African productions, five of which are world premieres.
Themes range and include, amongst others: high school hilarities, forbidden love, coming out, the desire for children and ageing gigolos. Genres include comedies, tragedies, dramas and documentaries including homage to celebrated gay icons.

The festival opens with "Spinnin' (6 Billion Different People)" a film made by Spanish director Eusebio Pastrana in 2007. The film is set in Madrid in 1995 and follows lovers Garate and Omar as they seek to have a child.

Opening the festival in both Johannesburg and Cape Town will be South African icon, Pieter Dirk Uys as himself.

Sponsors of the festival include Atlantic Philanthropies, National Lottery Board, Avis, Nu Metro, British Council French Embassy, Canadian High Commission, US Embassy, Argentine Embassy La Scala Montecasino and The Glen Cape Town.

For more information, go to www.oia.co.za.