SXSWorld
Issue link: https://sxsw.uberflip.com/i/690210
4 2 S X S W o r l d | M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 6 | S X S W. C O M ne of the most eye-catching events in the SX Américas programming at SXSW 2016 was the filming of Lucha Underground, the successful TV show that airs on Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network. For the first time, the Los Angeles-based cast and crew left their arena, known as "The Temple," to perform their raucous style of lucha libre in front of an enraptured live audience. But for new fans, it is important to know that beyond the high-flying tricks and outrageous costumes, this uniquely Mexican version of professional wrestling is a cultural phe- nomenon that signifies identity and pride for Mexican fans, as well as a bridge into American pop culture. In Mexico, a lucha libre event brings together families and people of all ages, genders and socioeconomic backgrounds. Fans are united by a love for this sport, which has been passed from generation to generation and become an integral part of Mexican popular culture. In the 1950s and '60s, masked wrestlers such as El Santo, Blue Demon and Mil Máscaras reached celebrity status, thanks to television and their incursions into movies in which they portrayed champions of justice while facing enemies ranging from psycho murderers to space monsters, evil sorceresses, international gangsters, vampire women, vengeful mummies, mad scientists or all of the above. "The luchadores are flesh and bones superheroes here in Mexico," says Dorian Roldan, a Mexico City native whose uncle, Antonio Peña, was a wrestler in the '70s and '80s and founded the Lucha Libre A A A promotion, which Roldan now oversees. "The mask is the greatest part of their identity; it represents the source of their superhuman abilities." Eric Van Wagenen, Lucha Underground's executive producer, agrees: "To a luchador, the masks are sacred; they are their identity. Often passed down from father to son, there is no bigger disgrace than losing the mask in the ring. The masks are also what create the generational links in the lucha libre fandom. Fans cheer for the orig- inal, and when that luchador grows older and passes on the mask, the same fans cheer for the son. The mask is more important than the person wearing it, and it will be around much longer, too." Such is the case of luchadores like El Hijo del Santo, Blue Demon Jr. and Pentagon Jr., the last two as part of the Lucha Underground roster. In general, masks have been an important part of Mexican cul- ture and folklore since Pre-Columbian times, and the lucha mask is no exception. "At events around the world, like a World Cup soccer match or at the Super Bowl, you can easily spot a lucha mask in the crowd, and you will always be able to tell that that mask has its roots in Mexico," says Roldan. Both producers have had an appreciation for the pageantry of lucha libre from an early age, with Roldan practically living amongst wres- tlers all his life. And growing up in Los Angeles, Van Wagenen was aware of professional wrestling as well as lucha libre. "My earliest memories of watching wrestling were the Guerrero family bat- tling their arch nemesis Rowdy Roddy Piper," he says. "I remember the intense passion the fans had for the Guerreros and the equally intense hate they had for Piper. As a kid, it blurred the lines of what was real and what was scripted, and it was fascinating to me." When he was approached to produce the show, Van Wagenen jumped at the chance to do something unlike anything he had worked on before: "As a television producer, masked luchadores are a unique challenge. It's hard to create a bond between an on-screen character and the TV audience without seeing a face. Our luchadores have to have a unique personality that is derived from body language, athleticism and in-ring storytelling more than dialogue and acting." But the masks add an aspect that is completely missing from the spectacle of American W WE style of wrestling. "I think lucha libre is much more 'cultural performance art' than W WE's style of pro wres- tling," says Van Wagenen. "The moves are flashier and riskier ... the characters are non-traditional and more colorful. Traditional lucha embraces inter-gender wrestling, minis, exóticos and other things that W WE would never attempt. With Lucha Underground we offer an edgier, cooler, more adult version of wrestling. Much of the W WE product feels childish and sanitized for advertisers. Our fans want to be shocked and surprised by the violence and high-risk maneuvers in each episode." For Roldan, the show is the culmination of a lifetime of experi- ences and love for the sport. "I wanted to bring the lucha style to America, and it finally took the shape of Lucha Underground. What's most important to me is that in this environment, I am tightly con- nected to Mexican culture. And to me, having Mexico at heart, it is really important that I'm always in touch with and promoting the Mexican heritage. Furthermore, what I'm really interested in right now is to get other audiences, both Mexican as well as American, to understand and enjoy this world as much as my family and myself." T For more information on SXAméricas programming, visit sxsw.com/sxamericas. Los Reyes Enmascarados: Lucha Libre's Masked Appeal by Claudia alarCóN O R O B E R T A T O B I A N S K Y / G E T T Y I M A G E S Lu ch a d o res in a c t io n a t SX S W 20 1 6