Educational Media Reviews Online

Luchadoras follows the lives of three women wrestlers (luchadoras) who live in Juarez, Mexico. Juarez abuts El Paso, Texas, but is separated by the international border. One of the speakers refers to Juarez as the most dangerous city in the world and El Paso is the safest. While not statistically true, it is true enough. The background violence of Juarez is as much a character in the film as the three luchadoras are. The viewer sees that the problems in Juarez run beyond simple poverty. While we know that one of the wrestlers, Lady Candy, has lost male relatives to murder, the larger theme throughout the movies is violence against women. Protests shown in the film even refer to “femicide” due to the staggering number of murdered women in Juarez. It is against this backdrop that the luchadoras live their lives.

The central irony of the film is that the luchadoras use violence to take some measure of control of their lives. Make no mistake, there are real physical risks to these wrestlers, despite the likely scripted outcomes of the matches. However, the main characters need to take these risks to achieve their goals. Lady Candy is trying to reunite with her children in El Paso, where her abusive former partner has taken them. Baby Star and Mini Sirenita are both trying to get back to Mexico City and the bigger wrestling promotions that can help them provide a better life for their families. But they do not focus just on themselves as the film also shows them at a wrestling show that doubled as a protest against violence toward women. More importantly in a grimly practical sense, the luchadoras are shown teaching self-defense tactics to other women. Bloodied but unbowed, the luchadoras keep fighting for a better future.

Luchadoras is highly recommended. While the film delivers great impact, it might not have wide utility across the curriculum. 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.

[n. b. The reviewer does not speak Spanish and had to rely on subtitles while viewing the film]

Awards:
Thessaloniki TIFF: FIPRESCI Critics Prize, Special Jury Award, Audience Award; Seminci, Valladolid Int'l Film Week: Audience Award; Hofer Filmtage, Best Documentary; Nottingham NIFF, Best Doc Feature, Best Director

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