Cassandra, a movie by Roger Ross Williams, has its world premiere at Sundance 2023

Streaming worldwide:
CASSANDRO

Cassandro is the new scripted film from Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams, starring Gael García Bernal. It had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, and streams globally on Prime Video starting September 22.

Gael García Bernal in Cassandro

An outsider turned unlikely superstar

Cassandro is the new scripted film from Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams.

It stars Gael García Bernal as Saúl Armendáriz, an American-born luchador wrestler, who grew up near the U.S.-Mexican border in El Paso, Texas.

Being gay in this machismo-driven industry, he creates a flamboyant persona known as Cassandro, the Liberace of Lucha Libre. And against all odds, he becomes one of Mexican wrestling’s most unique heroes, not just upending the macho wrestling world, but also his own life…

“My own life experience as a gay, black man has made me realize the importance of telling stories we don’t usually hear. The true story of Cassandro, Saúl Armendáriz, was one I knew I wanted to tell from the moment I met him.” – RRW

Cassandro streams globally on Prime Video.

Stamped from the Beginning: premieres Nov. 10 in select theaters, Nov. 20 on Netflix

Inspired by the book of the same name by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Roger Ross Williams’ Stamped From the Beginning explores the history of anti-Black ideas in a way that helps us grapple with present-day racism.

“This is about power and the few clinging to power and using it at the expense of Black Americans. This isn’t just a film for Black Americans. This is a film for all Americans, for the whole world. And hopefully, it brings people together and leads people on a path of antiracism and healing.” – RRW

The LA Times: “You’re about to hear a lot about Roger Ross Williams. He’s ready for his moment.”

“I’m so grateful to be in the position I am in this business, to be able to create series, documentary features, now scripted narrative features — to be able to do it all,” he says. “That’s a privilege, and I want to extend that privilege to everyone like me. I want them all to have the same opportunities that I have.”

Read Jen Yamato’s full article with photos by Justin Jun Lee at The LA Times

Traveling while black