Luchadoras

Paola Calvo, Patrick Jasim / Spain, Germany / 2021 / 93 min
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  • Thessaloniki TIFF

    FIPRESCI Critics Priz, Special Jury Award, Audience Award

  • SXSW - South by Southwest

  • Seminci - Valladolid Int'l Film Week

    Audience Award

  • Hofer Filmtage

    Best Documentary

  • Nottingham NIFF

    Best Doc Feature, Best Director

  • Women+Film Colorado

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Synopsis

Spanish with English subtitles - Spanish language audio description available *

Luchadoras provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of three resilient female wrestlers in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, who courageously challenge traditional gender norms in the face of pervasive machismo. Amidst a society dominated by rigid expectations, these women redefine the image of women in Mexico.

Despite working in a disenfranchising factory, Mini Serinita aspires to become a full-time Luchadora, breaking free from societal constraints. Lady Candy, who can see the U.S. border from her house, grapples with visa regulations preventing her from reuniting with her daughters in the United States. Meanwhile, Baby Star, a young single mother with a Lucha Libre childhood, seeks a comeback, embodying the spirit of Mexican passion.

Through their stories, these Luchadoras present a powerful and new image of womanhood in Mexico, challenging stereotypes and showcasing strength, resilience, and determination in the face of societal expectations.

* Spanish language audio description available via ALL4ACCESS App and/or .wav file when purchasing a DSL license.

Accessibility for these films was created by DICAPTA and funded under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education- Office of Special Education-OSEP, project “Enhanced Access to Video for Students with Sensory Disabilities through Emerging Technology,” TV Access H327C210001.

Related Subjects
About the Director
Paola Calvo and Patrick Jasim are a duo of directors and cinematographers based in Berlin and Madrid. Both honed their skills as cinematographers for feature films before uniting to co-direct. Their debut feature-length documentary, Luchadoras (2021), showcases feminist wrestlers in Mexico.

Luchadoras - Paola Calvo and Patrick Jasim

Available for Q&As, Masterclasses, and workshops upon request, in English, Spanish, or German.
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Paola Calvo is a film director and cinematographer born in Venezuela. In Madrid, she studied media science at the Universidad Complutense. A year later, she began her studies in cinematography at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (dffb). Documentary filmmaking is the context in which Paola has found the most interesting visual and narrative forms for herself. She has received several awards for her work. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with Pepa San Martín, Katarina Schröter, Julius von Bismarck, and Moritz Frei, among others. Aiming to depict intimacy for the big screen, she directed Violently Happy, a 90-minute documentary shown in German cinemas from January to March 2017. In 2019, she co-founded the production company TUMULT with Patrick Jasim and Phillip Kaminiak. The film Luchadoras is her directorial debut alongside Patrick Jasim, as well as her debut as a producer.

Patrick Jasim is a German director and cinematographer. After several years of practical experience as a camera assistant, he studied cinematography at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (dffb). It was here that he began collaborating with musician and filmmaker Moritz Krämer (Die Höchste Eisenbahn), among others. Projects such as the Arte short film Eat, which screened at over 200 festivals, and the feature film Bubbe Stur, have won several awards and were shown worldwide at A-list festivals like the Berlinale and the Montreal World Film Festival. In addition to the mockumentary Operation Naked for ZDF television play, he also served as cinematographer for the feature film Night Out, set in Berlin’s nightlife, which celebrated its international festival premiere at the Thessaloniki Film Festival in November 2018. The documentary The Damned Man’s Speech, directed by Valesca Peters and produced by Cobalt Films, was distributed by Edition Salzgeber and was shown in cinemas in spring 2019. Luchadoras was his directorial and producing debut alongside Paola Calvo.

Press

“Highly recommended. Courses where this movie would deliver value are ones that examine current issues in Mexico, international women’s studies, and classes on immigration between Mexico and the United States.” – Russell A. Hall, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Penn State Erie, EMRO

“A compelling and ambitious documentary that utilizes the lens of lucha libre to shine a light on Mexican societal ills.” – Bernard Ozarowski, Loud and Clear

“The Mexican city of Juárez seems like hell on Earth, particularly if you’re a woman Luchadoras builds a touching picture of strongly bonded female-centred families – single mothers, daughters and sisters – female solidarity and self-empowerment.” – Demetrios Matheou, Screendaily

“Goes beyond the cinematic art form and become something far larger and more important...It is a humanistic truth being expressed and valued.” – Carson Timar, Awards Watch

Notes on the Film

“We were super inspired by the three protagonists. Each one of the women we portrayed has different personalities, but they have one thing in common, which is: that they have a lot of humor, they’re funny, and they’re always laughing.

We were there for a couple of months shooting. Even though there were moments when we would feel afraid, and horrible things happened when we were there, we always managed to be together, to be supportive of each other. They’re very strong people.”

– Paola Calvo & Patrick Jasim, Directors

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