Kiss of the Spider Woman

Luis Alberto Molina, a gay window dresser, is incarcerated in Argentina, serving his third year of an eight-year sentence for corrupting a minor. He retreats into a fantasy world to escape the harsh realities of prison, including torture, fear, and humiliation. His imagination often revolves around movies and a vampy diva, Aurora.

A new inmate, Valentin Arregui Paz, a Marxist revolutionary, is introduced to Molina's cell. Valentin is already in poor health due to torture, and Molina begins caring for him, sharing his love of movies and Aurora with him. Valentin feels disinterested and draws a line on the floor to keep Molina at bay.

Valentin confesses to Molina that he is in love with a girl named Marta. This sparks a cautious bond between the two men, despite Valentin's discomfort with Molina's theatrical fantasies. Meanwhile, Molina continues to care for Valentin amidst harsh prison conditions.

Valentin is subjected to torture again, leaving Molina distressed. Afterward, Molina tends to him, imagining Aurora helping him recover. The scenes highlight the brutality of their prison environment and Molina’s emotional dependence on his fantasies for solace.

The prison director informs Molina that his mother is very ill and he may see her if he reveals Valentin’s girlfriend’s name. Molina reveals his love for a waiter named Gabriel on the condition to see his mother, which complicates his situation.

Molina eats poisoned food meant for Valentin, leading to hallucinations and cramps. He is hospitalized while communicating with his mother and the Spider Woman, a symbolic figure from his fantasies. Valentin soon suffering similar symptoms after eating poisoned food, raising fears of betrayal.

Molina protects Valentin from being taken to the hospital, fearing he might be tortured for information. As Molina cares for him, Valentin shares his fantasies and hopes, strengthening their emotional connection in the bleak prison environment.

Molina has a brief phone call with his mother, during which he announces that he will be released the following day for good behavior. Valentin asks Molina to make some phone calls on his behalf, and Molina initially refuses but agrees after Valentin persuades him with sex, leading to their deepening bond.

The next day, Molina is returned to prison heavily injured after being caught making a phone call. When asked to reveal who he contacted, he refuses, leading the warden to threaten him with a gun. Molina then confesses his love for Valentin, which results in him being shot.

Molina is shot and the scene transitions to a heaven-like realm where loved ones watch his final 'movie.' The Spider Woman appears, delivering her deadly kiss as the curtain falls, symbolizing Molina’s tragic end and the blending of fantasy and reality.