No Dress Code Required (★★★★★) is a must-see documentary that chronicles the two years that long-term couple Victor and Fernando fought to get legally married. The two men run a beauty salon in Baja California which, despite the name, is actually in Mexico and were the first same-sex couple to apply to get married to the city council of Mexicali.
The film allows us to get to know Victor and Fernando, from childhood to coming out to meeting each other. It also documents the unbelievable homophobia of obstructionist public servants and the legal battles they need to go through to realise their dream of being legally married.
Victor tells the camera, “We want that protection that marriage gives you”. But the dirty tricks and downright sabotage of those responsible for carrying out the marriage become more and more absurd. The local government bigots even refuse to abide by the Supreme Court ruling to allow the couple to marry.
At one point, the pen pushers with power insist that the men have not attended the mandatory 1950s style pre-marriage talk – even though it was filmed by documentary maker Cristina Herrera Borquez. Another time, they insisted that the men be tested for dementia. It would be funny if it wasn’t so tragically bigoted.
You’ll fall in love with Victor and Fernando as their family, friends and much of the community support the young men who didn’t set out to be activists, but find themselves fighting injustice and inequality. I lost count of the number of times that their ceremony was cancelled and it was insane to see how their rights were violated. It has to be seen to be believed.
No Dress Code Required is not just about a couple of guys wanting to get married. The couple could have travelled to Mexico City to get married as others had already done, but they decided to fight the homophobia of their home town. It is about affirming that love can win but there are still battles going on all over the world.
Recently featured at New York City’s Human Rights Watch Festival, the film is part of the Cine Latino Film Festival which screens 6 – 16 December at Cinema Paradiso. Check out cinelatinofilmfestival.com.au for the full program and tickets.
Lezly Herbert
