Underneath the mask lies true heart, soul of the luchador

Avila became enamored of filmmaking. He became a director who has released a string of movies and TV shows.

	On TV “Tales of Masked Men” will air on KNME-TV, Channel 5, New Mexico PBS at 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28. The documentary kicks off PBS’ “Voces on PBS” series.

But his latest project, “Tales of Masked Men,” is an in-depth look into the life of lucha libre, or Mexican wrestling. It’s a subject that is close to his heart.

The film was shot over the course of a year, but it took eight years to get the funding to make it happen. It was shot in Mexico and around the United States. It will kick off the new season of “Voces on PBS” on Friday, Sept. 28.

“The journey was a long one, but it was well worth the wait,” Avila says. “Coming back into this lifestyle brought me back to being 10 years old and watching it live in downtown Los Angeles with my mother and stepdad. I have very vivid memories of this, and working on the project brought me back to them.”

Avila says lucha libre is described by cultural anthropologist Heather Levi as “a sport in the key of melodrama” and springs from the same root as American professional wrestling, but has taken on the unique characteristics of Mexico and the country’s long-standing fascination with masks.

“The masks conceal faces but not feelings,” Avila explains. “This allows the luchadores to transform themselves into either character of a rudo – the rule-breaking villain – or a técnico – the fair and square hero.”

“Tales of Masked Men” introduces the audience to three wrestlers, each of whom embodies different aspects of the sport and its traditions. The most revered and famous masked Mexican wrestler of all time is El Santo, who rose to prominence in the ring and eventually became a film and TV star.

Mascarita Sagrada stands 4 feet 5 inches tall and is one of the most dynamic and acrobatic wrestlers in lucha libre. And the third wrestler is Solar, who is in his fourth decade as a luchador. With retirement in the future, Solar is training his son, Solar Jr., to step into the ring.

“I wanted to provide a history and try to present the luchadores in a way with respect,” Avila explains. “These men all take their jobs seriously and work hard to be entertaining but serious.”

He says filming the majority of the film in Mexico was perfect because he was able to tell a complete story.

“I think connecting with Mexico again re-ignited my love for the lucha libre,” he says. “It’s helped me reconnect with my past and became a joyful experience.”

Avila hopes that people will see in the documentary the importance of lucha libre in Mexico and the United States.

“The luchador is becoming more mainstream in pop culture,” he explains. “It also has a long-standing history. It’s amazing to see how lucha libre is passed to different generations.”

Avila says looking at the film, he is fascinated by the layers that the story encompasses.

“There’s a real strong sense of tradition that is being preserved by these men,” he says. “It’s very unique, and we try to stay true to the deep heritage of it.”

Aside from fulfilling the boyhood dream of working with lucha libre, Avila says he was able to get into the ring once with Solar and Solar Jr.

“We were taking photos and each one of them grabbed my arm and put me in an arm lock,” he says. “It was a great moment for me, but I’m glad they were just playing around with me.”

Free Monthly screeningS: PBS New Mexico will present a 40-minute screening of the four-hour series “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the KiMo Theatre, 423 W. Central. The film, based on the book by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, follows celebrity activists America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union and Oliva Wilde, as they circle the globe to tell the stories of inspiring, courageous individuals. The entire series will presented over two nights, at 8 p.m. Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.

The New Mexico PBS Community Cinema at the KiMo series is a groundbreaking public education and civic engagement initiative featuring monthly screenings of films from the Emmy Award-winning PBS series “Independent Lens.” Each month until June, the series will bring together leading organizations and community members to learn, discuss and get involved in today’s critical social issues.

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter at @agomezART.