67 —-1 —0 —+1 4 Framing Queer Desire The Construction of Teenage Sexuality in Krámpack (2000) by Cesc Gay ANA CORBALÁN Te Spanish flm industry produces a signifcant number of coming-of-age nar- ratives featuring visual representations of youth navigating diverse social, cul- tural, and sexual experiences on the path to adulthood. Tese movies address the radical loss of innocence and refect the search for identity endured by the child or teenage protagonists. Te genre—which can be categorized as Bil- dungsflm, a term used by Tomas Deveny to refer to flms of “growing up” starring children or adolescents1—attempts to establish empathetic connec- tions with moviegoers. Far from symbolizing the universal childhood experi- ence, these protagonists represent unique and defned characters who belong to specifc cultures and who discover new friendships, awaken to love, and expe- rience betrayal—all with the openness unique to adolescence. Bildungsflms straddle the line between social conformity and nonconfor- mity, conveying the complexities that revolve around the process of growing up. Tese narratives explore specifc social environments in which the main characters construct and reinforce their senses of identity, friendship, and sex- uality. Te prominence of young characters appeals to a wide variety of view- ers and focuses on the common anxieties that constitute the most defning 510-85360_ch01_1P.indd 67 21/05/20 4:41 PM