Paola Calvo: “I want to dedicate today’s screening of Luchadoras [Female Fighters] to the women who have made me what I am.”

The Time of History section at the 66th edition of the Valladolid International Film Festival hosted yesterday, Saturday 23rd October 2021, the screening of the documentary Luchadoras [Female Fighters], as part of the opening day of the Seminci Festival. Directed by Paola Calvo and Patrick Jasim, Luchadoras follows the lives of three women from Ciudad Juárez who make their living from wrestling. Under the artistic names of Mini Sirenita, Baby Star and Lady Candy, these three wrestlers redefine the image of women in Mexico, despite the environment of macho violence they are surrounded by.

Luchadoras puts the spotlight on the role of women in “one of the most dangerous cities in the world,” as the film puts it. To this vision of the film, Paola Calvo, Venezuelan by birth but with a Zamora family, adds: “I come from a family where I was taught that men and women are of equal value, and making this film made me realise that this is not the case. Women’s actions are valued less than men’s. Everything that is related to women has a lower value than what men do.”

On the reasons that led them to making this film, Patrick Jasim added: “We know that it’s a small contribution compared to what these great women are doing, who are inspiring and fighting to empower women in an area where it is very difficult, and we want our film to become part of this movement.”

The director spoke of the “strange and crazy times” that are being experienced because of the pandemic and how important it continues to be for filmmakers to connect with the audience: “Films are made to be presented to the audience.”

The screening of Luchadoras was preceded by the short film Koncert balkonowy [Balcony Concert] by Polish filmmakers Krzysztof Kadłubowski and Diana Kadłubowska, which is set during the first Covid-19 confinement.

Luchadoras will be screened again on Monday 25th October at 11.30h in the Cervantes Theatre.