VIVA

Ireland, 2015, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jorge Perugorria, Luis Alberto Garcia, Hector Medina, Laura Aleman, Paula Ali, Luis Manuel Alvarez.
Directed by Paddy Breathnach.

This is an unexpected project for an Irish film. It is set in Cuba, filmed in Cuba and in Spanish. However, the directness by Paddy Breathnach (I Went Down, Shrooms). It was written by Irish writer, Mark O’ Halloran, who scripted such significant films as Adam and Paul, The Guard, Calvary.

However, the performers are all from Cuba.

This is a story of a young man who does make up for a troupe of drag queens who perform locally. His dream is to be a performer. We see details of his personality, his life, his ambitions, of his frustrations. However, when he finally has the opportunity to perform, an older man steps forward and punches him in the face.

The man who does this is his long-absent father and the rest of the film is the struggle of each of the men to understand the other, for the father with his macho Hispanic attitudes, the young man and his sexual identity as well as his desire to perform.

Also complications with others of the troop, of the women associated with the central character, pregnancy, babies, father-figures.

So, while the film has something of an exotic setting, it is also the story of a father and son, conflict and possibilities for bonding.

1. A Cuban story? 21st-century? Irish writer and director?

2. The Havana locations, the slums, the vistas of the city, homes, streets, shops, boxing gymnasium, hospital? Ordinary Cuban life?

3. The Cabaret, the Drag Queens, characters and life, their world, entertaining, talents, the impact on the audiences, the audience response? Behind-the-scenes, the chat, the banter, discussions about whores?

4. Drag Queens in themselves? Memories of the past, the Castro regime? Homosexuals, homosexual culture? Soliciting currently on the streets?

5. The music, the songs, Spanish-language, intense performance, costumes, make-up, the wigs and the care for the wigs? Jesus and his impersonations, with the drag costumes, without?

6. Jesus story, his age, young gay man, growing up gay, love for his mother, her death, his father leaving when he was three, effeminate style, resorting to prostitution for money, his friend soliciting in the park? The apartment, cutting hair, gossiping, Nita and her later help, Cecilia and Javier wanting the apartment? His reactions? Mama, her role, her skills, care, dealing with the others, chatting, awkward situations in the Cabaret, fights, her offering Jesus the chance, confronting his father? The father and the punch-up in the Cabaret?

7. Angel, his age, boxer, killing a man, going to prison, love for his wife, leaving her and his son? Returning, ill, the punch in the Cabaret, ousted, his talk, refusing to let Jesus perform, his drinking, going to the gymnasium, the welcome back? Jesus cooking the meals, his discontent? His collapse? In hospital, getting the food, Nita as help, weeks to live? His still forbidding Jesus to perform, Mama coming to the house and challenging him? Jesus being honest, declaring his will for his life, to be strong, the impact of performance? His visit to the Cabaret, supporting his son? The? The editing, cutting between performance with Jesus preparing his body for burial?

8. Mama, her age, look, the strength of her performances, dramatic, managing the Cabaret, with Jesus, with the other dancers, the offer, Angel acknowledging his son’s success and congratulations?

9. The other dancers, their life, personalities, the stories, memories of their fathers, growing up gay, the performances? Lydia, age, coming to the Cabaret?

10. Cecilia and Javier, Cecilia helping Jesus in the past, not having money, the sexual encounters, Javier and his conflict with Jesus? The pregnancy, Javier not wanting to help?
The decision to have the baby?

11. The hustler, friendship with Jesus, his range of injuries and props to get clients? Jesus and the scenes with the clients, the treatment, the friendly man, Jesus robbing his wallet? The later confrontation at the Cabaret?

12. The real Jesus, performing, strong?

13. The final credits, Cecilia and the baby, Jesus as a father figure, the friendship with the hustler? A future?