Vestido de novia

The original title of this Cuban/Spanish production is Vestido de Novia. It could be translated in two ways: Wedding Dress, or (he is) Dressed like a Bride. The subject is the understanding (or lack thereof) by Cuban society of sexual diversity, in particular of the problems and needs of transsexuals. The movie had the support of the Cuban government, in particular of Mariela Castro (daughter of Cuban leader Raul Castro), director of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education in Havana and an activist for LGBT rights in Cuba. The film garnered various prizes in the 36th Festival of the New Latin American Cinema (Havana, 2014).

Unfortunately, the movie doesn't live up to its good intentions. The plot is somewhat unbelievable, as it presupposes an out-of-this-world naiveté from Ernesto, the protagonist. Characters live in a black-and-white world; transsexuals are all nobility, while heterosexuals are immoral, traitorous and opportunistic (and closet homosexuals to boot). Victim of this schematism is the always reliable Jorge Perugorría, who makes what he can with his cliché-ridden character.

This is the first feature film from director and script writer Marilyn Solaya. Her previous work consists of documentaries, the last one En el Cuerpo Equivocado (In the Wrong Body, 2010) about Mavi Sussel, the first person in Cuba to have a sex change operation authorized by the government in 1988. All in all, Solaya's feature debut is a miss.