a supernatural revenge thriller about a fisherman having an affair with a prostitute, Javier decided to change it after coming out of the closet himself, in an attempt to explore more interesting themes and material. Critical reception The film received positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 88% out of 32 critics gave the film a positive review, with a rating average of 7.3/10. Manohla Dargis from The New York Times praised the director's ability to show powerful relationships between the characters, particularly focusing on the complexity of Miguel's feelings for Mariela, which she called "gratifying". David Wiegang from the San Francisco Chronicle also gave the film a positive review, saying that the "film's accomplishments are many, but not the least is its ability to take a human story and frame it as a parable, without losing a bit of credibility or irresistible heart." Pam Grady from Boxoffice Magazine wrote “Sensual and romantic with a heavy dose of the supernatural and populated by indelible characters.” Bob Mondello from NPR wrote “Undertow, for all its narrative tricks, has been given the rhythm and texture of real life, as well as emotional undercurrents that are haunting.” Awards and nominations For Undertow 2009: Won Sebastian Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival 2010: Won Audience Awards for "World Cinema – Dramatic" category at the Sundance Film Festival 2010: Nominated for Grand Jury Prize for "World Cinema – Dramatic" category at the Sundance Film Festival 2010: Won Audience Award for Ibero-American competition at Miami Film Festival 2010: Nominated for Golden India Catalina for "Best Film (Mejor Película)" at Cartagena Film Festival 2011: Nominated GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release 2011: Nominated for Goya for "Best Spanish Language Foreign Film" at Goya Awards See also List of submissions to the 83rd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film List of Peruvian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film List of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender-related films by storyline References External links Undertow / Contracorriente Official website 2009 films 2000s coming-of-age drama films 2009 directorial debut films 2009 romantic drama films Films directed by Javier Fuentes-León 2009 LGBT-related films 2000s Peruvian films 2000s Spanish-language films Peruvian romantic drama films Peruvian LGBT-related films LGBT-related romantic drama films LGBT-related coming-of-age films Male bisexuality in film Magic realism films Shoreline Entertainment films Colombian drama films Gay-related films