Cassandro

Open Caption screening Tuesday, September 26 at 5pm. This screening will be presented with on screen subtitling and sound descriptions.

Gael García Bernal stars in the wild true life story of Cassandro – the “Liberace of lucha libre” –  an outsider turned unlikely superstar who upends not just the macho wresting world, but also his own life. In the lucha libre wrestling scene of Juárez, Mexico in the late ‘80s, gay amateur luchador Saúl Armendáriz (Bernal, The Motorcycle Diaries) is tired of playing El Topo, a nondescript, masked runt who always loses his matches. He wants to be a star. His fierce new trainer, Sabrina (Roberta Colindrez, Fun Home), suggests he develop an exótico character — an unmasked, stereotypically effeminate role audiences love to hate. But exóticos never get to win. All that changes when Saúl debuts the flamboyant and powerful Cassandro, who captures the crowd’s attention and affection. But how will Cassandro’s spectacular ascent affect Saúl’s relationship with his mother, Yocasta (Perla de la Rosa, A Thousand Clouds of Peace) — still pining away for his unavailable father — and with Gerardo (Raúl Castillo, Knives Out), Saúl’s secret lover?  Featuring appearances by Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, aka Bad Bunny (Bullet Train) and El Hijo del Santo. (Dir. by Roger Ross Williams, 2023, Mexico/USA, in Spanish/English with English subtitles, 107 mins., Rated R)