Gender is a subject that is too broad and complex for us to condense into a single conversation since it isn’t something easily defined in concise terms, and usually tends to be quite divisive for truly perplexing reasons. However, we can often find the most profound statements on what it means to identify with one gender or another (or none at all, in several cases) in the stories of people who have defined conventions and decided to live as authentically as they can, based on what they find most comfortable and honest to their internal identity. One of the most captivating examples of someone not only living by their own rules, but who blurred the lines of gender comes in the story of Saúl Armendáriz, who is better known as Cassandro, and who rose through the ranks of Mexican wrestling, starting as a dedicated but middling luchador, who could barely scrounge up enough attention to have anyone remember his name, to an exótico, a term used to describe male wrestlers who competed in drag. A fascinating and captivating story that has now been repurposed into a film simply known as Cassandro (the most appropriate title for a film centred on exploring his incredible life), it also serves to be the narrative debut of Roger Ross Williams, who has worked for decades as a documentary filmmaker, and who previously explored Armendáriz’s life and legacy in a documentary film, proving that he has a sincere appreciation for his subject. Funny, insightful and heartfelt in ways that are sometimes quite difficult to avoid, Cassandro is an absolute delight, a simple but effective film that captures the life of its titular protagonist with such fervour and dedication, that it will likely introduce Cassandro to generations of new viewers, all of whom will likely be taken by his wonderful and unique story, as well as the inspiring journey he undertook to become the person we have come to celebrate as a pioneer.

In his capacity as a documentary filmmaker, Williams has shown a remarkable knack for not only finding fascinating subjects but exploring their lives in a way that is decidedly unorthodox and unique, which allows for them to flourish into more unconventional projects, presenting new sides to common themes. This concept carried over into the director’s first foray into narrative filmmaking, since we find that he frequently seeks out ways to circumvent conventions usually associated with biographical dramas. This is likely because he was making the leap between styles of filmmaking, and even if he was still circling many of the same concepts in terms of telling the life story of a subject he finds fascinating, Williams is still making some impressive choices in terms of both the conception and structure of the story, to how it is ultimately executed, which is filled with unique flourishes that we don’t often expect to find in these simple stories. Cassandro positions itself as a relatively straightforward biographical drama, showing the rise of its subject and how he moves from scruffy underdog to a global sensation and cultural icon (although his impact is slightly inflated by the director, which is an understandable consequence of his unconscious bias since the fact that this is his second time making a film about Armendáriz proves that he is deeply fascinated by his story), but it never buckles to the conventions in a way that suggests any form of laziness or adherence to a technique that doesn’t have depth. Presented as a series of moments, which blend victories and defeat, the film proves to be a captivating account of the character’s life and times, as seen through not only his eyes but also those of the people who surrounded him throughout his career, helping him rise to become an icon of his industry.

The appeal of Cassandro as a subject is that he is a larger-than-life figure, which is certainly one way to describe a man who started his career by marketing himself as “El Topo” based on his smaller stature. The role, therefore, needed someone who could play both sides of the character, both his milquetoast, quieter side and the persona he adopts when he stepped into the ring, where all the insecurity and self-doubt fled and was replaced by a love for the spotlight and a desire to win, even if he knew it would cause more trouble within an industry not quite ready to see an exótico rise to become anything close to a champion. Despite being around a decade or two older than the character he was playing, it is tough to imagine anyone being able to play this role with more honesty and complexity than Gael García Bernal, who has proven himself to be something of a chameleon, an actor who could adapt to just about any role without any hesitation – and considering one of his first moments of major artistic recognition was in Pedro Almodóvar’s Bad Education, another film about negotiating gender and identity, it feels like he was well-suited to this role. He’s a tremendous actor, and he once again invests everything he can into this single performance, portraying the titular character with such intensely heartfelt honesty, that it is staggering when we realize that he is playing a role. Cassandro is a demanding role because it requires Bernal to play off multiple sides of the character while making it all very authentic and complex, never falling into the realm of stereotype or parody, which would have been very easy had this role been placed in the hands of the wrong actor. Bernal’s performance is delicate, honest and beautiful, and it stands as some of his finest work to date. He’s joined by a wonderful supporting cast, which includes Raul Castillo, Roberta Colindrez, Perla De La Rosa and (in his acting debut), Bad Bunny, all of whom play important figures in the evolution of Cassandro, which this film constantly shows in vivid detail.

Something that we do find simmering beneath the surface of Bernal’s performance, which also proves to be one of the foundational aspects of the film as a whole, is that Cassandro is much more than it seems to be at a cursory glance. We expect that this will be a run-of-the-mill biographical drama with impressive sequences showing the main character’s rise within the world of wrestling. This is certainly true, but only to the extent of it being the launching point for some of the film’s more exciting and subversive elements. We soon find that there is much more to this film than we expected and that it is not a traditional sports drama, but rather a film that positions itself as an intimate domestic drama that just so happens to be set within the world of wrestling, which is perhaps a more appropriate way to look at this story and what it represents. There are many intriguing ideas embedded in this film, and Williams once again shows himself to be someone who is not only focused on the more famous aspects of his subjects, but rather engages in a process of taking the elements that tend to be their claim to fame, and using them as the entry-point into a more intimate, detailed exploration of their lives. We find that Cassandro is as much about wrestling as it is about the trials and tribulations of a young man whose decision to playfully subvert gender resulted in him catapulting to fame as a result of his dedication to his craft and his desire to be famous. This is interwoven with his experiments with his sexuality, and his relationship with his mother, his biggest supporter and perhaps the very reason Cassandro exists in the first place. It is a film shrouded in layers of humanity, with each moment being filled with complex ideas that are beautifully executed.

Cassandro is a film that covers many different subjects, and it certainly doesn’t waste any time in making it clear that there is much more to the story than we initially expected. This is a film that is going to speak to a lot of viewers, whether it be in the cultural resonance (although we have to wonder whether a voice from within the Latin American community may have added more sincerity to the story, despite Williams being very passionate about the material) or the simple fact that we tend to respond to underdog stories, especially those that are honest and forthright, and made with some semblance of authenticity. It can veer towards being slightly sentimental in some parts, and its rapid-fire pace means that it doesn’t always explore some of the themes being introduced quite as well as may have anticipated, but it all becomes part of the charm of this film, which is as rough around the edges as its likeable protagonist, a man who was not without flaws, but whose love for life and desire to succeed makes him an unconventional folk hero of the modern era, a revolutionary figure whose only act of rebellion was deciding to subvert expectations about what he could achieve with an identity different to the mainstream. Heartfelt and deeply moving, and always thoroughly entertaining, Cassandro is a worthy tribute to a wonderful individual who has become a beacon of hope and inspiration, a steadfast advocate for the queer community and quite simply someone whose refusal to follow trends ended up giving him a wonderful career and inspiring generations of people to live life on their terms.