Gender, the behavior and thoughts surrounding people of different sexes, and sexuality, the range of behaviors, desires, and beliefs related to erotic physical contact, were a reoccurring theme within the film, Viva!. Set in a Cuban town, the film follows Jesús, a young male aspiring to be a Drag Queen, through his journey to obtain a spot on the stage. Through the trials and tribulations of his journey, each interaction with the other characters and events that happened, illuminate a different concept surrounding what defines gender and sexuality.
Beginning with the character Cecilia, this young women displays the concept of sexuality to a tee. She does this not only in the way she dresses but also with her actions and how she carries …show more content…
He does so to the extreme though, in the way that he is overly masculine, as though he has something to prove. He grew up being the tough guy who was trained to fight in order to make it as a boxer, which he successfully did for many years. By being trained to fight, he is portrayed as a character with little emotions, unless it was anger, which he dealt with in the only way he knows, by fighting. Ángel’s appearance consisting of overgrown facial hair and hair also contributes to his gender. Society has created the idea that men should be hairy and grow beards, while women are to be shaven and kempt. Although he lefts Jesús cut his hair, which one was a pivotal moment due to the fact that he was letting his son, not a women, cut his hair, he still wants to make sure it looks good so he can impress people. The action of Ángel leaving his son and family too plays into gender roles that are usually surrounding male figures. Identifying as male, with the characteristics he displays, he is not approving at all of the life his son Jesús lives. He tells him right away that he needs to stop and needs to be toughened up, which he hopes to do by taking him down to the rink where he started. As Ángel starts to get really sick though, you see his gender defining him less, and his relationship with his son defining him more. He starts to show emotion and moves away from the …show more content…
Both of these concepts were heavily portrayed and interwoven with the Cuban culture the film was set
Beginning with the character Cecilia, this young women displays the concept of sexuality to a tee. She does this not only in the way she dresses but also with her actions and how she carries …show more content…
He does so to the extreme though, in the way that he is overly masculine, as though he has something to prove. He grew up being the tough guy who was trained to fight in order to make it as a boxer, which he successfully did for many years. By being trained to fight, he is portrayed as a character with little emotions, unless it was anger, which he dealt with in the only way he knows, by fighting. Ángel’s appearance consisting of overgrown facial hair and hair also contributes to his gender. Society has created the idea that men should be hairy and grow beards, while women are to be shaven and kempt. Although he lefts Jesús cut his hair, which one was a pivotal moment due to the fact that he was letting his son, not a women, cut his hair, he still wants to make sure it looks good so he can impress people. The action of Ángel leaving his son and family too plays into gender roles that are usually surrounding male figures. Identifying as male, with the characteristics he displays, he is not approving at all of the life his son Jesús lives. He tells him right away that he needs to stop and needs to be toughened up, which he hopes to do by taking him down to the rink where he started. As Ángel starts to get really sick though, you see his gender defining him less, and his relationship with his son defining him more. He starts to show emotion and moves away from the …show more content…
Both of these concepts were heavily portrayed and interwoven with the Cuban culture the film was set