In “Luchadoras,” which world premiered at SXSW as part of the Global section, we meet the courageous female wrestlers of Ciudad Juárez. The city is known for its high murder rate against women; in the ring and their daily lives, Luchadoras fight to redefine what it means to be a woman in Mexico.
I was able to sit down with Paola Calvo, the writer and director of the film (along with Patrick Jasim who co-writes and co-directs), over Zoom and chat about some exciting topics, including the mask within Mexican culture and how one of the wrestlers Baby Star uses that, the feeling of being at a Lucha Libre match and the way it’s a way of life in Mexico.
We focus on the wrestling aspect for the first part of the conversation and then switch to its social aspects. We also discuss the danger of Ciudad Juárez, and the role of women and how dangerous it is for them. But the wrestlers in the film—Baby Star, Lady Candy and Mini Serenita—are able to have high spirits throughout it all.
Listen to the conversation below:
