From the the new movie «Cassandro,» Gael Garcia Bernal takes on the actual-existence Mexican American wrestler just who concerned global popularity by the adopting the fresh new persona of the flamboyant Cassandro, the fresh Liberace off lucha libre. It will be the tale of a good queer people who decides to problem a manly and you will homophobic system owing to sheer showmanship as well as in thus doing, steadily produces the fresh new respect out of his fellow wrestlers and gains more than this new hearts and you will minds out of their people. I am Glen Weldon, and after this we’re these are «Cassandro» to the Pop Community Pleased Hours out of NPR.

WELDON: Howdy. And you will making their Pop Community Happy Hour debut are Isabella Gomez Sarmiento. She is a manufacturer with the NPR’s society desk therefore the Book Of The afternoon podcast. Welcome to this new tell you, Isabella.

Beneath the suggestions regarding his grappling mentor, Sabrina, played by the Roberta Colindrez, the guy chooses to key upwards his grappling image becoming a keen exotico, a sounding lucha libre wrestlers who happen to be coded since the gay and you can just who for this reason, usually get rid of in humiliating means, much into happiness from homophobic crowds of people

WELDON: Why don’t we start off. «Cassandro» are a biopic on the iconic North american country American wrestler Saul Armendariz, starred by the Gael Garcia Bernal. Since the an earlier man into the Este Paso, he crosses the fresh new edging to go into novice lucha libre bouts, although his diminutive proportions form he is always throw given that loser. Saul swipes certain skintight, animal designs of their loving mom, starred because of the Perla De- Los angeles Rosa, and creates Cassandro, whom wins bouts because of athleticism and you will showmanship and you can easily will get an excellent feeling. So it complicates their burdened connection with his faraway dad along with his miracle relationship with glamorous panamanian girls the latest closeted and partnered Gerardo, starred by the Raul Castillo.

Almost everything explanations Saul and discover the brand new edges so you can himself that make it your to face the challenges one fame provides. «Cassandro» was created of the documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams. It is 1st scripted element film, and you will Williams co-had written the brand new screenplay with David Teague. «Cassandro» was online streaming today into the Prime Video clips, therefore we is always to note that Craigs list supporting NPR and you may is beneficial distributed a number of the blogs. Isabella, it movie, one of the many things it has to manage try kind off offer some one a good primer about what lucha libre is if they won’t know it. Just how familiar was you using this business, and you may exactly what do you think about the motion picture?

I was thinking it absolutely was a very interesting portrayal of this industry as well as, like, this new paradoxes that Cassandro filled for the reason that area just like the a gay people

SARMIENTO: Very I’ve seen lucha libre inhabit Mexico Town twice. I do not imagine I’ve had one particular genuine feel. I believe I’ve gone to, for example, the most basic, most accessible tourist spot to see it. Yeah.

SARMIENTO: But there are a number of regional fans. We have for ages been most impressed of the theatrics from it. They seems thus not the same as the brand new football you to definitely I’ve grown up enjoying reside in the newest You.S. along with Venezuela. And i also extremely appreciated the film.

CRUZ: I – and so i enjoy grappling. Everyone loves lucha libre. But Perhaps the fresh Americanized type that you pick on unpopular, American wrestling campaigns.

CRUZ: But I absolutely adore it. I enjoy everything I have seen from it, and that i appreciated the film. I had never heard about Cassandro before enjoying this movie. The film is actually my personal very first introduction to help you your just like the a person and him as the an effective wrestler, and i also really preferred Bernal’s depiction out of Cassandro in and you can out of the band. They thought most stayed in, really slice of lifetime in a way that’s in direct contrast, In my opinion, to your more-the-most readily useful crisis and you will theatrics out-of lucha libre. And that i thought that proved helpful. A few psychological sounds failed to extremely strike personally, however, I think which is, such as for example, because it try shown during the a slice out of life format, therefore i are unable to very, such as for instance, end up being angry, you are sure that?