Peccadillo acquires XXY, Poltergay

by Naman Ramachandran

25/07/2007 - Peccadillo Pictures has acquired all UK and Ireland distribution rights for Lucia Puenzo’s acclaimed XXY [trailer]. In addition, the London based company has secured UK home entertainment rights for Eric Lavaine’s Poltergay [trailer].

XXY deals with the travails of tomboyish Alex, a transgender child brought up as a girl, who moves to Uruguay with her family and immediately has to face prejudice within the community. Alex’s acquisition of a boyfriend raises tensions higher.

The film, which marks Argentinean writer Puenzo’s directorial debut, has won plaudits for its sensitive treatment of the subject matter and was rewarded with the Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prix (see news) and Rail D’Or earlier this year. The film is scheduled for a summer 2008 release.

In Poltergay, a young couple move into a derelict mansion that used to be the site of a notorious gay disco 30 years ago. Now, the house is haunted by gay poltergeists whose raucous renditions of Boney M songs cause the couple no end of trouble. The film is due for a Halloween DVD release.

Peccadillo has been releasing a range of art house and world cinema titles in the UK since 2000 with particular emphasis on titles focusing on alternate sexuality.