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Cross-Dressing And Lesbian Representation In Belle Époque By Fernando Trueba, Nuria Cruz-Camara

Nuria Cruz-Camara

"The Oscar-winning film Belle Époque (1992), directed by Fernando Trueba, systematically deconstructs patriarchal forms of masculinities by mocking the “Iberian macho” stereotype, by representing actively desiring women, and by allegedly making the male protagonist the object of the female gaze. The inversion of traditional gender roles throughout the film reaches its peak at the carnival cross-dressing sequence, when Violeta, dressed as a male soldier, aggressively seduces Fernando, dressed as a maid, and maintains total control over the love-making process. However, as I will demonstrate in this article, this seemingly subversive reversal of sexual identities is superficial and, in fact, reinstates ...