About the fresh flick “Cassandro,” Gael Garcia Bernal performs the true-existence North american country Western wrestler which found globally popularity from the implementing the fresh image of your own flamboyant Cassandro, the fresh Liberace from lucha libre. It’s the story regarding good queer people exactly who chooses to issue a macho and you can homophobic system thanks to sheer showmanship and in so performing, continuously produces the fresh new esteem out-of his other wrestlers and you may gains over the latest minds and you may brains off his viewers. I’m Glen Weldon, and after this we have been speaking of “Cassandro” toward Pop music People Pleased Hr off NPR.

WELDON: Howdy. And to make their particular Pop music People Pleased Hr introduction is Isabella Gomez Sarmiento. She’s a company for the NPR’s people desk as well as the Guide Off Your day podcast. Thanks for visiting new tell you, Isabella.

Within the advice out-of their grappling mentor, Sabrina, played of the Roberta Colindrez, the guy chooses to switch right up their wrestling persona to be an exotico, a group of lucha libre wrestlers who’re coded since the gay and you can just who ergo, typically eliminate into the humiliating ways, much to your pleasure away from homophobic crowds of people

WELDON: Let us begin. “Cassandro” is actually a biopic on the legendary North american country Western wrestler Saul Armendariz, starred because of the Gael Garcia Bernal. Due to the fact a young guy inside the El Paso, he crosses the latest border to get in newbie lucha libre bouts, although their diminutive proportions mode he or she is always shed given that loser. Saul swipes certain skintight, animal prints out-of his enjoying mother, starred of the Perla De La Rosa, and helps to create Cassandro, who gains bouts because of athleticism and you will showmanship and easily becomes a good experience. It complicates his strained relationship with his faraway dad and his wonders relationship with the brand new closeted and you can partnered Gerardo, played by Raul Castillo.

All of it grounds Saul and discover brand new edges to themselves you to definitely allow your to stand the problems one magnificence provides. “Cassandro” was made of the documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams. It’s his first scripted element movie, and you will Williams co-authored brand new screenplay with David Teague. “Cassandro” is online streaming now on Finest Video, and now we would be to remember that Craigs list supports NPR and you will pays to distribute a few of our very own posts. Isabella are Baltican girls beautiful, it flick, one of the most significant some thing it should create was form from render anybody an effective primer on which lucha libre is if they will not know it. How familiar was basically you with this industry, and you will what did you consider the flick?

I imagined it was a really interesting depiction of these world and of, for example, the brand new paradoxes you to definitely Cassandro occupied for the reason that room due to the fact good gay person

SARMIENTO: Very I’ve seen lucha libre inhabit Mexico Urban area double. Really don’t imagine I have had the quintessential genuine sense. I believe We have visited, including, the most basic, really obtainable site visitors location to view it. Yeah.

SARMIENTO: But there are loads of local admirers. I’ve long been extremely amazed because of the theatrics from it. It seems therefore distinctive from this new sports you to I have grown up seeing live in new U.S. along with Venezuela. And that i really preferred the film.

CRUZ: We – thus i love wrestling. I love lucha libre. However, Perhaps brand new Americanized type you get a hold of into the unpopular, American wrestling advertising.

CRUZ: However, I truly adore it. I really like everything I’ve seen of it, and i liked the movie. I experienced never ever heard of Cassandro prior to viewing which flick. The movie is my earliest addition to your because men and you may him due to the fact a wrestler, and that i most enjoyed Bernal’s depiction from Cassandro in both and out of the ring. They sensed extremely lived in, extremely cut of lifestyle in a manner that is directly in examine, I believe, into over-the-finest crisis and you can theatrics regarding lucha libre. And i also believed that worked well. A few psychological sounds failed to most hit for me personally, but I think which is, particularly, as it try showed when you look at the a slice off lifestyle style, so i can not really, such as for example, getting angry, you know?