NCLAFF: Cassandro

Free and open to the public. Dir. by Roger Ross Williams. Mexico-USA. 2024. 107 minutes. Spanish with English subtitles. Pragda series. Based on the true story of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso who rises to international stardom after he creates the character Cassandro, the "Liberace of Lucha Libre." In the process, he upends not just the macho wrestling world, but also his own life. Starring Gaél García Bernal in one of the most iconic roles of his career, Cassandro is a giddily entertaining and celebratory drama that hints at the emotional bruises under the sparkly lurex leotard and false lashes to ultimately create space for unapologetically queer men in a male-dominated sport and society.