What Is The Sex of Angels About?
The premise of The Sex of Angels in 356 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a sun‑kissed coastal town where the rhythms of daily life are marked by the ebb and flow of the sea, a modest parish clings to its aging stone walls and dwindling congregation. The community is a patchwork of bustling markets, narrow alleys, and a streetscape alive with the desperate hopes of those left behind. Within this world of quiet devotion, the priest has made his vocation a living testament, reaching out to the forgotten and the marginal with a street ministry that feels both urgent and compassionate.
When a distant relative passes away, an unexpected letter arrives, bequeathing a modest property that once belonged to the priest’s late uncle. Hope flickers as the priest envisions this inheritance as a lifeline—a means to fund repairs, expand programs, and breathe new vitality into the church’s mission. The prospect of turning a forgotten asset into a catalyst for renewal sparks both excitement and a lingering sense of responsibility, setting the stage for a delicate balancing act between pragmatic needs and spiritual ideals.
The reality of the property, however, proves far more complex than a simple storefront or community hall. The space, tucked away behind unassuming doors, has long served a purpose that sits at odds with the priest’s sacred callings. As the doors open, the priest discovers that the business operates as a brothel, a world of intimacy and commerce that thrives in the shadows of the very neighborhood he has pledged to serve. This revelation introduces a rich tapestry of moral ambiguity, inviting the priest to grapple with the intersecting currents of faith, compassion, and the practicalities of sustaining his parish.
Caught between the desire to uphold his vows and the pressing needs of his flock, the priest embarks on a quiet, introspective journey. The film’s tone blends gentle humor with poignant drama, inviting viewers to ponder questions of redemption, community responsibility, and the unexpected places where grace can be found. As the priest navigates this uncharted terrain, the audience is left to wonder how far one can stretch the boundaries of belief without losing the core of what it means to be a shepherd of souls.
What Happens in The Sex of Angels?
The complete story of The Sex of Angels, from the first scene to the last, in 503 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
In Italy, Nora, an heiress at odds with her father, welcomes her friends Nancy and Nora during a summer break. The plan is to take Nora’s father’s yacht (without his permission) and head for the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. When Nora’s boyfriend refuses to join, they decide to find a desirable male with no serious attachments to take along. They meet medical student Marco at a dance club, and even though he has a casual girlfriend, he agrees to meet Nancy the next day for a swim. The three women take out the yacht, find Marco swimming along, and effectively abduct him onto the vessel.
Initially, Marco is more amused than concerned about the abrupt change in plans, and proceeds to try making time with each girl, only to find that Nancy is either lesbian, bisexual, or frigid, Carla is clearly lesbian and uninterested in him, and Nora claims she is saving her virtue for a black man. The women’s intentions appear more sinister when, upon reaching Croatian waters and having to submit to inspection, Marco, who, since he was taken while swimming, has no passport or clothes, must hide while the authorities board the yacht. Once the patrol leaves, the women reveal their primary intention: to experiment with LSD, and tape record their trip since they may not remember details. The foursome ingest dosed sugar cubes and submit to the drug.
The next morning, Nora is in pain, Marco sees Nancy and Carla in bed, and discovers that he has been shot; the bullet is embedded in his chest so he is not bleeding, but is still at great risk of dying from the wound. The women remember nothing, but are reluctant to revisit the tape; Nancy hides it, fearing that the events will divide them. They pull into a port to obtain morphine for Marco. The druggist initially refuses to sell to them without a prescription, and rebuffs Nora and Nancy’s offer to trade it for sex, but when Carla volunteers she is a virgin, he agrees to provide it in exchange. Upon returning to the yacht, as he grows weaker from his injury, Carla takes pity on Marco, and tries pressuring her friends to return to Italy quickly to get him to a hospital, but the other two, fearing they could be blamed and arrested, seem to be slow-walking the trip home, and actively thwart Marco’s attempts to seek help.
Before reaching port, Marco succumbs to his wounds. They agree to listen to the tape to find out what happened during their LSD ingest, but the tape is blank, and Carla deduces that Nancy did not have the microphone on, deliberately sabotaging the intent. Marco’s body is set adrift in an inflatable dingy before the yacht docks. The women put on a brave face back at home, but it is clear the event has broken what tenuous bond they shared before. Carla leaves Nora and Nancy, runs down to the end of a pier, and, after some contemplation, drowns herself.
The Sex of Angels Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Escape plan and departure” to “Carla's final act”. 11 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Escape plan and departure
Nora hatches a plan with her friends Nancy and Carla to take Nora's father's yacht without permission and sail toward the Dalmatian coast. They decide to recruit a desirable male to join them on the voyage. The mood is reckless, setting the tone for the journey.
When:Summer break, start of trip Where:Italy
- 2
Marco recruited at a club
The trio meets medical student Marco at a dance club. Although he has a casual girlfriend, he agrees to join the trip and meet Nancy the next day for a swim.
When:Day after invitation Where:Italy, dance club
- 3
Abduction onto the yacht
The women abduct Marco onto the yacht, catching him by surprise as the plan shifts from flirtation to selection. He is initially amused and tries to charm each of the women as they move toward their larger scheme.
When:Same day as boarding Where:Onboard the yacht, off Italy
- 4
LSD plan revealed in Croatian waters
When the yacht reaches Croatian waters and faces a routine inspection, the women reveal their true intent: to experiment with LSD and to tape their trip because they might not remember details.
When:Upon arrival in Croatian waters Where:Croatian waters, onboard
- 5
LSD ingestion and voyage begins
The foursome ingest sugar cubes dosed with LSD and submit to the drug, beginning their altered voyage. The trip starts to blur memory and perception, affecting how events unfold.
When:Start of the LSD experience Where:Onboard the yacht
- 6
Morning after: Marco wounded
The next morning, Nora is in pain; Marco discovers Nancy and Carla in bed and realizes a bullet remains embedded in his chest, leaving him at high risk of death. The women remember nothing of the night and are reluctant to revisit the taped memories.
When:The morning after the LSD trip Where:Onboard yacht
- 7
Port departure for morphine
The yacht pulls into a Croatian port to obtain morphine for Marco. The druggist initially refuses without a prescription, but Carla offers herself as a virgin in exchange for the drug.
When:Shortly after the morning Where:Croatian port
- 8
Hesitation to seek hospital
Back on board as Marco weakens, Carla urges returning quickly to Italy for hospital care, but Nancy and Nora fear blame and arrest and slow the journey home.
When:Later Where:Onboard the yacht, en route to Italy
- 9
Marco dies; tape is blank
Before reaching port, Marco succumbs to his wounds. They try to hear what happened during the LSD trip by playing the recording, but the tape is blank because Nancy did not switch on the microphone.
When:Before docking Where:Onboard the yacht, en route to Italy
- 10
Body adrift and return home
Marco's body is set adrift in an inflatable dinghy as the yacht finally docks and they return home with a facade of composure masking their guilt.
When:After Marco's death Where:At sea, en route to Italy
- 11
Carla's final act
Back home, the fragile bond among the women shatters as Carla leaves Nora and Nancy, runs to the end of a pier, and drowns herself after contemplation.
When:Immediately after return Where:Italy, pier
Who Are the Main Characters in The Sex of Angels?
4 characters, among them Nora, Nancy and Carla: who each one is and the part they play in the story.
- N
Nora
Nora is an heiress who orchestrates the reckless plan to take her friend's father's yacht for a summer escape. She is socially privileged and decisive, steering the group's decisions with a calm veneer. As the voyage unfolds, her control begins to crack under the weight of the consequences they unleash.
- 👑 Heiress
- 🎭 Strategist
- 💎 Privilege
- N
Nancy
Nancy is Nora's friend, depicted as enigmatic and assertive with a flexible sexuality. She participates in the abduction and the attempts to record the trip, but she is also capable of withdrawal when fear or guilt creeps in. Her actions reflect the complexity of their moral choices.
- 🌈 Fluid sexuality
- 🎲 Impulsive
- 🕵️ Secretive
- C
Carla
Carla is another member of the trio, openly identified as lesbian. She shows compassion toward Marco and tries to press her friends to seek help, but she is also impulsive and deeply affected by the events. Her ultimate decision reveals the depth of her despair.
- 🌈 Lesbian
- ⚡ Impulsive
- 💪 Loyal Friend
- M
Marco
Marco is a medical student who is initially amused and flirtatious, accepting the unusual situation. He becomes gravely wounded when a gunshot is fired, and his condition worsens as the group delays seeking medical aid. He ultimately dies, becoming the catalyst for the film's tragedy.
- 🎓 Medical student
- 🎯 Charismatic
- 🩺 Doctor-to-be
Where and When Is The Sex of Angels Set?
The Sex of Angels is set in Italy and Dalmatian coast of Croatia. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Italy, Dalmatian coast of Croatia
Set on a summer yacht trip that begins in Italy, the story moves toward the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. The action unfolds on the Adriatic Sea, aboard a private yacht. The setting amplifies class privilege and the thrill-seeking mood that drives the voyage.
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🛥️ Yacht
- 🌊 Adriatic Sea
- 🗺️ Croatia
What Are the Themes of The Sex of Angels?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Consent, Friendship under Strain and Mortality.
-
01
Consent
The film centers on the blurry boundary between fun and coercion as the women abduct Marco and press him into a risky game fueled by LSD. It questions who holds power and who bears responsibility when pleasure collides with harm. The narrative uses the trip to reveal how consent can be manipulated when desire and social status are at stake.
-
02
Friendship under Strain
The trip exposes fractures in the trio's bond as secrecy and fear replace trust. Their shared plan collapses under guilt, denial, and competing needs. The taped record becomes a proxy for their memory, and its concealment signals the end of their friendship.
-
03
Mortality
Marco's life is precariously weighed down by his injury and the group's reluctance to seek help. The voyage turns fatal, culminating in his death and Carla's ultimate act of despair. The ending underscores the consequences of reckless escapades and the fragility of human life on the sea.
What Kind of Film Is The Sex of Angels?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A tense and increasingly sinister journey into a nightmare of hedonistic excess, where a carefree holiday descends into fatal consequences and psychological collapse, leaving a trail of guilt and tragedy.
- sinister
- anxious
- claustrophobic
- detached
- melancholic
- fatalistic
- moral corruption
- drug experimentation
- reckless hedonism
- death
Content notes: suicide, death, drug use, gun violence, emotional manipulation.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Sex of Angels? Test yourself on the story.
