TRANSFIXED is a unique detective thriller, replete with unexpected plot twists. Bo Ancellin (Robinson Stévenin), a beautiful, young transsexual with a troubled past, becomes entangled with nosey Police Chief Huysmans (Richard Boringer) as a series of demented killings erupts in Brussels’ underground. Each murder and its surrounding circumstances are inexplicably linked to Bo, and it’s this cinematic cadence that drives the film.

Stévenin’s stunning performance earned him the 2002 Cesar Award (the French equivalent to an Oscar®) for Best New Actor. His tender and unaffected interpretation of the role is mesmerizing for its simple and truthful portrayal. His on-screen presence lends a magnetic pull that’s difficult to deny.

Exploring territory typically offered from other reputable directors like Pedro Almodovar, Girod’s  TRANSFIXED is a murder mystery set in a fascinating underground world populated by transgender prostitutes, sketchy cops, drug-running rough-trade thugs, and troubled runaways. Seemingly everyone has a clandestine history in their emotionally and physically buried pasts—a setup that evokes a series of twists and turns that makes this a crime thriller that shines far brighter than most.

An intricate and well-constructed film, the story unfolds intelligently and the suspense permeates throughout. Most noteworthy of all is Stévenin’s noteworthy nuanced performance. He has created a feminine swagger so unique to the screen that it is simply dazzling in its integrity; never polishing over Bo’s more unattractive aspects, and never allowing her to become reduced to mere gender clichés.

Synopsis / Review reprinted with special permission from Frameline
106 min / 35mm / French with English subtitles



“The thriller TRANSFIXED heralds the arrival of an exciting - and androgynous - new presence in world cinema. Compelling!”
- David Ehrenstein, THE ADVOCATE

“Hypnotic. Absorbing. Provocative. Charged with erotic tension. Robinson Stévenin gives a miraculous performance. Stévenin is riveting in the role. He is well-matched by Stéphane Metzgar’s Johnny, whose brooding good looks and attitude are completely captivating. It makes this extraordinary film even more exceptional.”
- Toronto Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

“Fascinating... a crackling thriller!”
- Toronto Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

“Stunning... mesmerizing!”
- Frameline Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

“A psychosexual masterpiece that gets under your skin - and stays there.”
- Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival




2002 Reel Affirmations/Washington DC GLFF
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