Name: Vestido de novia
Genre: Drama
Released: 2014-12-06
Duration: 1 h 40 min
Rating: 6.7
Cast: Laura De la Uz, Luis Alberto García, Mario Guerra

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.

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

In 90's Havana, a nurse and a home builder hopelessly in love, live happily married, A circumstantial fact of her past life, will put their feelings to test and undermine the most elemental principles.

Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industrias Cinematográficos (ICAIC)

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His Wedding Dress

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