Winner of the prestigious Camera D’Or prize for Best First Feature at the Cannes Film Festival and one of the most controversial films of that year, LEAP YEAR (AÑO BISIESTO) is a powerful account of a woman’s search for solace and companionship following a family trauma.

This highly charged sexual thriller from Mexico follows Laura (Mónica Del Carmen, Babel), a freelance journalist, as she alleviates the boredom of her solitary existence by moving from one anonymous sexual encounter to another. Upon meeting Arturo (Gustavo Sánchez Parra, Amores Perros), she finds herself drawn into a sadomasochistic relationship in which he is the dominant partner. Increasingly, however, the balance of power shifts. What begins as an attempt by two lonely people to connect with one another soon becomes something more dangerous. When Laura marks a red square around an upcoming date on her calendar, the wheels are set in motion for a startling conclusion.

LEAP YEAR is the outstanding debut from Australian director Michael Rowe that boasts an extraordinary leading performance by Mónica Del Carmen. With echoes of Last Tango in Paris, LEAP YEAR marks the arrival of a bold new voice on the world cinema stage.