In the heart of the South Bronx, a unique wrestling program has given rise to incredible athletes and inspired a compelling documentary, “Lucha.” This film captures the journey of a group of young women who, against all odds, found strength, community, and hope on the wrestling mat. Today, we are excited to share the story behind “Lucha” and its incredible impact on the lives of these young athletes and their community. We sat down with Josh Lee, a wrestling coach and one of the key figures behind this inspiring documentary.

Q: What inspired you to create Lucha? Where did Lucha begin?

A: The inspiration began when we were trying to start a wrestling program at the Taft campus in the South Bronx. I was a special education teacher there, and they didn’t have a wrestling team before my arrival. I had some students ask me to inquire about starting a team, and it took a full year to get it established at all. You have to recruit a lot of kids to get program approval, and at the same time, Coach Rob, who I was working with to start the team, suggested we do a documentary just to recruit kids to the wrestling program. We thought we would end up with a 15-minute home video where we just swap out the hype music every few years, but of course, it’s turned into something much bigger than that.

Q: When the project started to get bigger, what were your new goals for the film?

A: Well, the goal was always recruiting. At first, the whole thing was a student-led project, but the project got orphaned when the school closed down the same year. That summer, I was working as a Task Rabbit – one of my many side hustles – and helping move a bunch of stuff out of this guy’s basement. Well, the guy had a bunch of cameras, so I asked, “what do you do?” and he said he’s a documentary filmmaker. I told him I was trying to make a documentary about women’s wrestling in the Bronx, and his eyes got really big – he said, “There’s women’s wrestling in the Bronx? I’m from the Bronx. I’d love to come check it out.” He showed up one day and said, “I think there’s a bigger story here. I think this is more than 15 minutes, and I’d like to follow these girls for their careers.” 

So he did. We never really knew if the footage would get approved if the project would get approved. It took five years after we wrapped it for it to get approved. Ultimately, we were just so excited to have a movie. Y’know, we thought we could use this to recruit, we could use this to fundraise… and then it started winning awards.

Q: How has the film achieved your goals for it?

A: Oh, that’s easy. It saved the women’s wrestling program. And it told the stories of these girls. We’re creating a nonprofit, and ultimately, the impact of that will be a permanent training center in the Bronx, with a heavy focus on growing the sport of wrestling on the women’s side and giving the kids a place to go where there’s some physical activity, healthy food, and people who care about them. Women’s wrestling is the fastest-growing sport in the country, so now’s the sweet spot for kids to look to getting a scholarship. We’re trying to help get them to that point.

Q: How do you hope the movie impacts those who watch it?

A: Mostly, I hope it makes everybody feel inspired – to feel like: no matter what happens to me, I can get back up; I’m stronger than the lucha; I’m stronger than the struggle. The kids’ resilience, to me, is still the most inspiring thing about working in the South Bronx. They’re resilient. They’ll surprise you. And their personalities are just A1.

But I want people to understand that these stories are not remarkable. The most remarkable thing is that we got them on camera because our culture is so numb to communities that struggle, so comfortable with criminalizing folks just for living outside, comfortable with existing in an us vs. them dynamic. I challenge anyone who watches Lucha to remember the last time they cared so much about a stranger who was homeless, if ever. I want to challenge the us vs. them mentality.

Ultimately, Lucha is getting put in the sports movie lane, but it’s not a sports movie. It’s about struggle, getting up when life knocks you down, and finding community, whether that’s on the wrestling mat or wherever. I think Lucha is way bigger than the sport of wrestling. Still, I hope that any young lady who sees this movie, I hope it makes her want to wrestle.

Closing:

“Lucha” is more than just a film about wrestling; it’s a testament to the resilience and strength found within a community often overlooked. It challenges viewers to see beyond the struggles and recognize the extraordinary spirit of those who rise above their circumstances. As women’s wrestling continues to grow, stories like those captured in “Lucha” serve as powerful reminders of the impact sports and community can have on young lives. We encourage everyone to watch www.luchamovie.com and be inspired by the incredible journey of these young athletes.