Kiss of the Spider Woman

'Kiss of the Spider Woman' is an American musical written and directed by Bill Condon. It is based on the stage musical of the same name, which premiered on Broadway and the West End starting in 1992, itself based on Manuel Puig's 1976 novel. The film premieres at the 2025 Sundance Festival, where it receives a positive reception before its release in the United States on October 10 of that same year, becoming a box office flop with earnings of barely 2 million dollars.

The film tells two parallel stories. The main one takes place in an Argentine prison during the final years of the dictatorship and pits Valentín, a young Marxist imprisoned for his political ideals, against Molina, a transgender woman incarcerated for "public indecency." The relationship between Molina and Valentín grows closer as she tells him the plot of her favorite film, the musical "Kiss of the Spider Woman," starring the diva Ingrid Luna.

Precisely, the scenes from this musical correspond to the second story of the film. A fantastical tale about Aurora, a figure related to the myth of the spider woman. A touch of color and an escape from the torture inflicted within the prison, as the bond between Molina and Valentín deepens. Everything becomes complicated when Molina is pressured to spy on Valentín in exchange for her freedom.

'Kiss of the Spider Woman' stars Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, and Jennifer Lopez. The first two play roles in both the "real" film and the musical "Kiss of the Spider Woman," while Lopez is Ingrid Luna only in the musical. Lopez, who lost weight to film her role, recorded each musical number in a single take.

• Drama
• Music
• LGTBIQ+
• Friendship