Luchadora reviewed on Filmwonk!

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Best of the Northwest 2, where my short doc Luchadora screened with other local shorts, was a full house: in fact, I was a few minutes early and still almost ended up not getting a seat! Luckily I was able to grab a seat in the very back, next to a guy with a computer. Well it turned out he was reviewing all the films for his website/podcast Filmwonk! I tried not to peek at what he what wrote right after my short doc screened, but I did manage to look it up later.

Here is his review of Luchadora:

After Artsquatch, this film was a welcome guide for how to tightly edit a documentary – it’s colorful, shot well, and gets to its point quickly. The main player, a budding Northwest luchadora named La Avispa (“The Wasp”), is a compelling interview subject, speaking with eloquence and enthusiasm about ditching college in favor of “joining the circus”, in the form of a Renton, Washington training gym for lucha libre (Mexican wrestling). It helps that she delivers this entire monologue in her luchadore mask, with all the flare of American pro wrestling (something she’s apparently not a fan of herself). The film effectively introduces a little-known Northwest take on an out-of-town sport (one that I’m rather interested in seeking out now) through the lens of a budding theatrical stuntwoman who’s thoroughly entertaining to watch.

Hilariously, he added this:

On a personal note, I’m glad I liked this film. The director, Amber Cortes, was literally sitting next to me as I typed the first draft of these notes (in the back row, over the end credits – I’m not a monster), so it might’ve been terribly awkward otherwise.

Ha! Not awkward at all! In fact, one of the best sitting-next-to-a-stranger-at-a-screening-of-my-film-story that I’ve ever had!