Vestido de novia (Spanish) [His Wedding Dress]

There is very little that you get to hear about LGBT issues in a country like Cuba. The subject of this film is the understanding (or lack thereof) by Cuban society of sexual diversity, in particular of the problems and needs of transsexuals. I was glad to read that this film had the support of the Cuban government, in particular of daughter of Cuban leader Castro, who is a huge activist for LGBT rights in Cuba.

Set in 1994 in Havana, Rosa, a nurse, is married to Ernesto, a construction engineer. they have a happy life with Rosa's ailing father, whom she takes care of. She is pretty much as good a person as nurses are supposed to be: Ernesto and his colleagues are pretty much as sexist as construction workers are supposed to be. One warm Havana afternoon, Rosa Elena checks up on a transgender friend, Sissy, who is suffering from the complications of a black-market breast augmentation. Rosa’s husband, Ernesto, expresses his disapproval of Sissy, and she pleads with him to understand and sympathize with transgender people. Corrupt official Lorenzo is Rosa's former lover and we soon find out that Rosa herself has had a sex change operation which no one knows of. When Ernesto threatens to open an enquiry about raw materials being stolen, he gets Ernesto fired for being married to a transgendered, thereby revealing Rosa's secret to all. Heart broken Ernesto leaves Rosa, but soon finds himself back with her, after Rosa goes through a lot more humiliation by her father and Ernesto's best friend.

The film has a very interesting plot. When Rosa's past comes forward, it comes as a big shock, although, I have to admit, I was sort of expecting it. I just assumed that Ernesto would also know the truth. Rosa singing as choir boy in free time does give us a hint to her past. But sadly we don't get to see the history with her father, because there is one, when Sissy stays back one day. Also, towards the end, was the father pretending throughout or just gets better suddenly? The corruption of the government those years is rightly brought to the forefront, although I don't particularly agree that all straight men shown are immoral and opportunists. Since Ernesto and Rosa shared such a perfect life, he was bound to come back in her life, but by then Rosa knows exactly what she wants, something that she complains about throughout the film.

A simple movie about love and loving one another, the film is not without its flaws. But still given the geography and the time period the film is set in, your heart reaches out for Rosa. (6/10)

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