Viva

Havana, Cuba. Jesus works as a hairdresser in a travesty bar, but would much rather be on stage himself. When the resolute bar manager Mama finally gives him the chance, Jesus is attacked by a customer on stage. He only recognises the man at second glance: it's his father Angel, whom he hasn't seen for 15 years. Without being asked, Angel takes up residence with his son and forbids him to continue performing as a singer. Jesus is torn between his desire to get to know his father better, his father's aggressive drinking moods and his own longing to be Viva again, the devoted diva. Only when Jesus learns why his father has really returned does he find his own voice again ...

‘Viva’, which was filmed entirely on location, shows Havana as a pulsating metropolis with a debauched nightlife in which the survival of the individual can be extremely precarious. In this authentic setting, Irish director Paddy Breathnach sensitively tells the story of how two very different men find each other again after a long separation.

‘Viva’ is a passionate plea to show yourself as you really are - or as you would like to be. Sung from the deepest soul! ‘Viva’ was a hit with audiences at Telluride and Sundance, was nominated for five Irish film awards and was entered by Ireland in the race for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.