Probably the one thing that most irked all the local Mexican authorities who schemed to deny Victor and Fernando the right to marry, was not just because they were gay but that this totally adorable and resilient couple were so obviously two best friends who were madly in love with each other. They evidently believed that two gay men who had been together for the best part of a decade should never be allowed to enjoy such happiness.
This new and completely engrossing documentary by Cristina Herrera Borquez tells of the men’s long hard struggle to overwhelm a whole series of ridiculous obstacles that their local City Hall in Baja California kept putting in their way to deny them a marriage ceremony. When Victor and Fernando, who run their own Beauty Shop together in Mexicali, decided to get married, they first thought about traveling to Mexico City where a few other gay couples had married after a Supreme Court Judge had ruled that same-sex marriages were legal. However they decided instead to become the first gay couple to marry in their home town, breaking down barriers for other LGBTQ couples in their State.
At first it all seemed something of a lark as they filled in all the paperwork and even attend the compulsory Pre-Marital Course where the instructor tells the whole Class that they must invite God into their bedrooms before having sex. However just before they turn up at City Hall for their wedding ceremony, their Lawyer is told that there is unexplained inaccuracies in their paperwork and so that they cannot proceed. This will be the first of many similar occasions in the next couple of years when despite a favorable ruling from a District Judge local officials will drag up a whole stream of bizarre and ridiculous excuses as to why they cannot proceed with marrying the two men. One time they actually fake a Bomb Hoax so that the City Hall has to be evacuated.
Through it all, buoyed by their Lawyer and also their families, the men maintain a remarkable sense of good humor, until that is the one occasion that they finally are convinced that their paperwork is acceptable to the nit-picking Registrar and the wedding will proceed, and so they plan a big evening reception. When the ceremony is canceled yet again, there is this heartbreaking sight of the two lovers dancing together at a joyless wedding party with tears rolling down their faces.
Like so many other fights for same-sex marriage in other countries these homophobic authorities cherry-pick the parts of the Law that suits them, and in this particular case dragging up petty restrictions that have been obsolete for decades to support their prejudiced point of view. It forces Victor and Fernando, and the community that support them, to resolutely behave with dignity and never waver from demanding their rights that have been wrongfully withheld from them by these people who are blatantly mis-using their powers to support their homophobia and hatred.
This is a wonderful joyous tale, beautifully told, that reminds us of how our community will always be in debt to brave and courageous souls like Victor and Fernando, and that if we call stick together, we can really help re-shape our future and that for LGBTQ generations to come.
Totally unmissable.
