Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
The story
In Argentina in May 1983 at the tail end of the Dirty War, Luis Molina, a trans woman convicted of public indecency for same-sex acts, is moved to the same cell as Valentín Arregui, a political dissident involved with a revolutionary group. Although initially irritated by Molina's flamboyance and chatterbox personality, Valentín lets Molina tell him the plot of her favorite film, the Hollywood musical The Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring her idol Ingrid Luna. As the political climate intensifies, the two prisoners find themselves bonded by the shared narrative of the musical, creating a sanctuary of imagination amidst the harsh reality of their imprisonment.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1983 Argentina, trans woman Luis Molina and political dissident Valentín Arregui are cellmates. Molina, seeking parole to care for her mother, is tasked with spying on Valentín but chooses to care for him instead. They bond over her retelling of the musical 'The Kiss of the Spider Woman.' The musical follows Aurora, who falls for Armando in a village protected by a spirit called the Spider Woman. In the real world, as anti-government protests grow, the two realize they are in love and become lovers the night before Molina's release. After being freed, Molina is pursued by officers while trying to deliver information to Valentín's comrades. She is caught and shot, dying while imagining herself dancing with Valentín. Later, in October 1983, the military junta is toppled. Valentín, now free, finds Molina's red scarf and declares their victory.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 128
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Bill Condon
- Writers
- Bill Condon · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Diego Luna · Valentin Arregui; Tonatiuh · Luis Molina; Jennifer Lopez · Aurora
- Genres
- dystopian; musical; drama
- Themes
- identity; solidarity; escapism; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- gritty; lavish; poignant
- Setting
- Argentina, May 1983 during the Dirty War
- Premise and plot tags
- prison drama; musical; metafiction
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1992 stage musical, based on Manuel Puig's 1976 novel
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, though it was a box-office bomb. Lopez's performance was well received and garnered buzz for the awards season.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 63 · scale: 100 · review count: 36
- Production trivia
- The film features a shift in aspect ratio between prison scenes and fantasy sequences.; The production was executive produced by Jennifer Lopez.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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