The Mystery of Alexina
Le mystère Alexina
Synopsis
In 1856, fresh from life with nuns in an orphanage school, Alexina Barbin comes to a coastal village in La Rochelle to teach the village girls. She is deeply religious. She shares the classroom and a bedroom with the young and vivacious Sara, with whom she falls in love. Alexina has another secret: her gender is mysterious. She and Sara begin a scandalous love affair, but Alexina seeks marriage and social acceptance. She discloses her secrets to the village priest, to her mother, to the bishop, and to the bishop's physician. After the church and court rule on her petition, marriage to Sara becomes Alexina's sole purpose and hope.
Top Cast
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Philippe Vuillemin
Alexina Barbin / Camille Barbin
Valérie Stroh
Sara
Véronique Silver
Madame Avril
Bernard Freyd
Armand
Marianne Basler
Marie Avril
Pierre Vial
Priest
Philippe Clévenot
Doctor Chesnet
Isabelle Gruault
Josephine
Lucienne Hamon
Hotel manager
Claude Bouchery
School inspector
Olivier Sabran
Doctor
Michel Amphoux
Hotel manager
Anne Cornaly
Alexina's mother
Vincent Pinel
A doctor
Release History & Theatrical Window
January 10, 1986
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- René Féret
- Screenplay & Story
- Jean Gruault, René Féret
- Original Score
- Anne-Marie Deschamps
- Original Title
- Le mystère Alexina
- Country of Origin
- France
- Spoken Languages
- French
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Production Studios
- Les Cinéastes Associés, TF1 Films Production
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
René Féret
Jean Gruault, René Féret
Anne-Marie Deschamps
Ariane Boeglin
Department Leadership Roster
Anne-Marie Deschamps
Original Music Composer
Jean Gruault
Screenplay
Ariane Boeglin
Editor
René Féret
Director
René Féret
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Mystery of Alexina.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Mystery of Alexina.
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LGBTQ+
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Mystery of Alexina
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Mystery of Alexina about?
In 1856, fresh from life with nuns in an orphanage school, Alexina Barbin comes to a coastal village in La Rochelle to teach the village girls. She is deeply religious. She shares the classroom and a bedroom with the young and vivacious Sara, with whom she falls in love. Alexina has another secret: her gender is mysterious. She and Sara begin a scandalous love affair, but Alexina seeks marriage and social acceptance. She discloses her secrets to the village priest, to her mother, to the bishop, and to the bishop's physician. After the church and court rule on her petition, marriage to Sara becomes Alexina's sole purpose and hope.
Who directed The Mystery of Alexina?
The Mystery of Alexina was directed by René Féret.
Who stars in The Mystery of Alexina?
The principal cast of The Mystery of Alexina includes Philippe Vuillemin, Valérie Stroh, Véronique Silver, Bernard Freyd, Marianne Basler.
When was The Mystery of Alexina released and how long is it?
The Mystery of Alexina was released in 1985 with a total runtime of 1h 26m.
Who composed the musical score for The Mystery of Alexina?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Mystery of Alexina was composed by Anne-Marie Deschamps.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Mystery of Alexina?
The Mystery of Alexina holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).