Viva

Run-down Havana pretends to be a bustling city through the raucousness of its inhabitants and the creaking of its decades-old cars. Ubiquitous poverty is barely concealed by flashy cheap clothing and rum. Loneliness is under every character's skin, who grasp at any chance to escape in a tedious struggle for their lives. In this inaspicious setting, Jesús is a hairdresser who does an old lady's hair, he brushes wigs for drag queens performing in a cabaret attended by bolero lovers. Dullness and uneventfullness is one day broken into by his father, who'd left the home when Jesús was only three. Father is not pleased with his son's tastes, job, friends and lifestyle. Just as Jesús feels his life escapes his control to a stranger father, life will give them both an opportunity they hadn't asked for.

At the screening, the director, Paddy gave an introduction about his personal experience with seeing a drag performance years ago where an individual was having the best time of their lives. He said that those who knew the performer were crying due to the fact that that was the only place this individual could truly be who they were.

That introduction set the mood for the movie. I'm afraid if I wasn't lucky enough to have the director give some backstory I would've liked it less.

The beginning of the film had a few clichés. A troubled protagonist unsure of how to make money, family issues, shopping in record stores. As it went on the clichés dwindled, immersing the audience in Cuba. Our main character's routine continued, and I found myself falling more into his psyche. His family issues became more relevant, his troubles were mine, and even the records had an important role in the story.

By the end people around me were weeping.

The only note I had was that there were a handful of times where moments should've been longer. Just an extra few seconds on those emotional scenes would've gone a long way. Not sure if that's a directing or editing critique.

I'm afraid of using an incorrect term here, so forgive me if I do. But as LGBT rights continue to finally be as important as they should've been decades ago, it's great to see more films like this, especially when they are well done. I hope this film gets the recognition it deserves.

Jesus is a hairdresser in Cuba's capital and he works with the performers of a drag venue run by Mama – an effervescent and passionate man who can hold an audience – but needs the right wig. Jesus also does his wigs but longs to don the dresses, make up wigs and sparkle on stage like the drag acts he sees perform.

Then one day his estranged father turns up. He is an ex boxer with a dark past, a smoking and drinking habit and attitudes that make him anything but receptive to his sons wishes – sparks are gonna fly.

Now this is from Irish director Paddy Breathnatch ('Shrooms') and was co funded by The Irish Film Board – written by Mark O'Halloran, who also has a small part here and brought us 'Garage' as well as appearing in a number of films including 'The Guard'. As such the collaboration or Irish and Cuban talent works very well.

One of the biggest criticisms has been the failure to put sub titles to the songs that are performed in the film. It is in Spanish so naturally is sub titled, but the songs are not. Paddy Breathnatch has said this was to ensure the audience concentrated on the performances and not just try to read the words etc. Well I could have managed both and I am sure a few others could too. That said I really enjoyed this film, it is a great script, a strong cast and enough drama to keep a drama queen happy. Plus you get some fabulous performances on stage too, so it is a film I can recommend.

The first thing that knocks you out is the cinematography. It is a marvel how they can pull that off in a run-down, old, desolate place like Old Havana. But besides the obvious drag-queen story there is a very realistic depiction of life in Havana which, although touched up a bit, still gives the viewer a sense of how it really is. Well-known Cuban actors Luis Alberto Garcia (unrecognizable in drag) and Jorge Perugorría give excellent performances, but the star is newcomer Hector Medina. The only low point of the movie is the subtitle translation which does not do justice to the writing. I'm not sure how this film will play in Peoria, but in Miami's Little Havana where I saw it today it did just fine.

This is a very strong movie with a poignant story and excellent acting. It's set in Havana, Cuba, where young Jesús lives alone in a dilapidated apartment, trying to survive by doing odd hairdressing for a local dragqueen-club, secretly craving to be on that stage himself. Then suddenly his long lost father returns home after having been in jail for some 20 years. The two collide, especially on the topic of Jesús being gay and performing as a drag queen, but nevertheless they have to find a way to deal with eachothers presence in their lives.

Describing this, it may seem like a melodrama, but director Paddy Breathnach (not a Cuban or even a Hispanic director but Irish, surprisingly the whole project appears to be Irish!) carefully avoids the potential pitfalls and gives us a fairly honest and almost matter-of-fact like account, greatly helped by an excellent script and effective editing. The setting in old Havana shows us not the touristic beauty of faded glory, but the sad and bleak reality of a town in total decay, where people either dream of getting away from, or - as Jesús and his father - resign and try to make the best of it.

The acting of both Jorge Perugorría (the father) and Héctor Medina (Jesús) is excellent, especially Medina is impressive, with only few words but with a world of expressions in his face and attitude. His transformation into Viva, the drag queen singer on stage is striking: from a gentle, taciturn androgynous boy to a larger than life dramatic diva, singing and crying her heart out. The songs that are performed on the stage by the way are breathtaking: totally over the top yet full of genuine grief and anger and drama, and the words mirror the story perfectly.

I am stunned at how an Irish production team is able to so get to the heart and soul of this Cuban story, but they sure did, I rank it a heartfelt 10.