Mamachas del Ring

Betty M Park - USA/Bolivia - 2009 - Runtime: 75 minutes
Arizona Premiere

Carmen Rosa the Champion loves to wrestle. Wearing bright colors, petticoats and a full skirt, she tackles an opponent as the crowd cheers.

An indigenous Bolivian, Carmen Rosa is also a wife and mother. She must balance her love of the sport with family responsibilities and the demands of daily living.

In Bolivia, professional wrestling is a man’s game. On the street, Carmen Rosa faces jeers and criticisms. In the wrestling league, a male commissioner controls the shots. Indigenous woman fighters attract spectators, but they are quickly eliminated if there is any sign of independence. Both in and out of the ring, the “cholitas” struggle to find a place.

The documentary follows Carmen Rosa, one of the four first female indigenous professional wrestlers. To carry the narrative, live action footage alternates with stop motion claymation using figures inspired by hand-made cholita dolls.

This is director Betty M Park’s first feature film. A Korean American filmmaker based in Brooklyn, New York, she works as a producer and editor in TV. Her editing credits include the documentary The Innocence Project.

http://mamachasdelring.com/

Credits

Producer: Betty M Park
Cinematographer: Alexander Ramirez Muñoz
Editor: Betty M Park
Sound Design: Benny Mouthon
Music Score: M.G. Espar
Additional Credits: Animator, Christophe Lopez-Huici

 

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