Viva

Jesus is a young hairdresser in Havana. At night he prepares wigs at a drag club and one day gets the chance to perform; his stage name is Viva. Then his father, absent for years, turns up. He is a former boxer, just out of prison, and when he learns what his son does he will not accept it. He moves in and forbids Jesus to go on stage. The two have to live together. Paddy Breathnach's film is an Irish production but was shot entirely in Cuba and in Spanish. The narrative does not tie the conflict between father and son to a story of acceptance; neither gives up on the other, and that turns out to be enough. Héctor Medina plays Jesus and Jorge Perugorría plays his father. The film was submitted as Ireland's Oscar entry. Who it's for: Viewers who like queer drama, father-and-son narratives, and films set in Cuba. Who it's not for: The narrative follows a familiar path with few surprises. The violence in some scenes is also harsh.