Cassandro
Amazon Prime Video release poster
Directed byRoger Ross Williams
Written by
  • Roger Ross Williams
  • David Teague
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMatias Penachino
Edited by
Music byMarcelo Zarvos
Production
companies
Distributed byAmazon MGM Studios[1]
Release dates
  • January 20, 2023 (2023-01-20) (Sundance)
  • September 15, 2023 (2023-09-15) (United States)
Running time
107 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish

Cassandro is a 2023 American biographical drama film directed by Roger Ross Williams from a screenplay co-wrote by Williams and David Teague. It stars Gael García Bernal, Roberta Colindrez, Perla De La Rosa, Joaquín Cosío, Raúl Castillo, El Hijo del Santo and Bad Bunny. It had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2023, and was released by Amazon MGM Studios in a limited release on September 15, 2023, prior to streaming via Prime Video on September 22, 2023.

Plot

In the late 1980s, gay wrestler Saúl Armendáriz lives in El Paso, Texas with his mother, regularly crossing the border to Ciudad Juárez to participate in lucha libre wrestling matches. He begins wrestling as ‘El Topo’ until he meets a new trainer, Sabrina, who inspires him to compete as an exótico and trains him to be a winner within this role. He develops the identity of ‘Cassandro’ and begins to confront elements of his identity and explore his personal relationships whilst gaining a reputation for himself within lucha libre. [3][4]

Cast

Production

In July 2020, Gael García Bernal joined the cast of the film, with Roger Ross Williams set to direct from a screenplay he wrote alongside David Teague, with Amazon Studios in negotiations to distribute.[5] They wrote the screenplay over the course of several years.[6] Cassandro is Williams' first narrative film.[4] He previously told Cassandro's story in his 2016 documentary short The Man Without a Mask.[7] In June 2021, Roberta Colindrez and Bad Bunny joined the cast of the film, with Amazon Studios officially set to distribute. The studio would later switch it to a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film upon release following the formation of Amazon MGM Studios Distribution.[8][9]

Music

The music score is by Marcelo Zarvos.[7] The film features songs from the disco era such as "Call Me" by Blondie and "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" by Baccara.[3]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2023.[10] It also screened at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2023.[11][12] It was released by Amazon MGM Studios in a limited release on September 15, 2023, before streaming via Prime Video on September 22, 2023.[13][14]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 130 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "Gael García Bernal steals hearts as the charismatic Cassandro in this feel-good biopic about a wrestler that triumphs in the macho world of Lucha Libre while embracing his true self."[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 76 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter called the film an "entertaining biopic, which doubles as a gorgeous depiction of mother-son love and an exhilarating exploration of fearless queer identity in a macho environment," adding, "Gael García Bernal nails his best role in years, giving a performance steeped in cheeky humor, resilience and radical self-belief."[3]

Carlos Aguilar of Indiewire rated the film a B+, writing, "'Cassandro' balances the triumphant exaltation of Arbendáriz's singular evolution as a trailblazer who didn't set out to become one, with the obvious, still not entirely eliminated bigotry that made his trajectory so significant and groundbreaking in the first place."[4]

Ross Bonaime of Collider wrote that the film "is both riveting and often touching, and Bernal gives quite possibly his best performance in this beautiful story of finding yourself and becoming who you were always supposed to be."[17]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Astra Film Awards January 6, 2024 Best International Actor Gael García Bernal Won [18][19]
Best International Actress Roberta Colindrez Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards March 14, 2024 Outstanding Film – Streaming or TV Cassandro Pending [20]
Women Film Critics Circle Awards December 18, 2023 Best Actor Gael García Bernal 4th place [21]

References

  1. ↑ de la Fuente, Anne Marie (October 3, 2023). "Amazon Studios Now Called Amazon MGM Studios, Exec Pablo Iacoviello Reveals in Iberseries Keynote". Variety. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Cassandro (15)". British Board of Film Classification. August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Rooney, David (January 20, 2023). "'Cassandro' Review: Gael García Bernal in a Tender and Uplifting Real-Life Luchador Portrait". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Aguilar, Carlos (January 20, 2023). "'Cassandro' Review: Gael García Bernal Is Fabulous in This Wild True Story of a Beloved Luchador". IndieWire. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  5. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 30, 2020). "Gael García Bernal Stepping Into Ring To Star In 'Cassandro', About The "Liberace Of Lucha Libre"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ Morfoot, Addie (January 20, 2023). "Director Roger Ross Williams 'Stalked' Gael García Bernal for Sundance Gay Wrestler Drama 'Cassandro'". Variety. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Debruge, Peter (January 20, 2023). "'Cassandro' Review: Gael García Bernal's Lovable Luchador Is the Queer Hero You Didn't Know You Needed". Variety. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  8. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 29, 2021). "'Cassandro': Amazon Gael García Bernal Movie Lands Roberta Colindrez; Actress Signs With Paradigm". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Bad Bunny to star in pro wrestling film". Wrestling News | Wwe and Aew Results, Spoilers, Rumors & Scoops. June 11, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  10. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (December 7, 2022). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Set With Ukraine War, Little Richard, Michael J. Fox, Judy Blume Docs; Pics With Anne Hathaway, Emilia Clarke, Jonathan Majors; More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  11. ↑ Davis, Clayton (August 30, 2023). "Telluride Lineup Includes World Premieres of 'Saltburn,' 'The Bikeriders' and 'Rustin' With Tributes for Yorgos Lanthimos and Wim Wenders". Variety. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Program Guide" (PDF). Telluride Film Festival. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Cassandro". Amazon Studios. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  14. ↑ Smart, Jack (August 22, 2023). "Gael García Bernal Blazes Trails as a Real-Life Gay Luchador in 'Cassandro' Trailer (Exclusive)". People. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Cassandro". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Cassandro Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  17. ↑ Bonaime, Ross (February 8, 2023). "'Cassandro' Review: Gael García Bernal Shines in Lucha Libre Biopic". Collider. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Newly Rebranded Hollywood Creative Alliance Announce Nominations for the 2024 Astra Awards". Awardsdaily. December 7, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  19. ↑ Feinberg, Scott (January 7, 2024). "Astra Film Awards: 'Barbie' Wins Eight Awards, Including Best Picture". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  20. ↑ "AwardsWatch - GLAAD Media Awards Nominations: 'All of Us Strangers,' "Bottoms,' 'Our Flag Means Death' and More". AwardsWatch. January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  21. ↑ "AwardsWatch - Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC): 'Barbie,' 'Nyad,' 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' 'Past Lives' Win Big". AwardsWatch. December 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
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