Jose Alayón's "La Lucha" Explores Grief Through Canarian Wrestling

Tenerife-born Jose Alayón (Arona, 1980) is releasing his second feature film, La Lucha, in cinemas this Friday. His first film was Slimane (2013). Before its general release, the film, which first premiered at the 73rd San Sebastián Film Festival, will have a special preview screening on Tuesday at the Terrero Insular Mencey Tegueste at 7:30 p.m. Alayón spoke with DIARIO DE AVISOS about La Lucha, a story that explores the bond between a father and daughter after the mother's death, using Canarian wrestling as both its backdrop and a powerful symbol.

Family and community identity are key themes in La Lucha. How would you describe this story that moves from personal feelings to shared experiences?

"What inspired me to make this film was its central metaphor: the fight in the wrestling ring mirrors the struggles we face in life, trying to stay strong and not give up. From that idea, we built the personal side of the story – grief, loss, how to cope after someone is gone, and the father's depression. Gradually, we wove these elements together with Canarian wrestling and the concept of the human body."

The cast consists of non-professional actors, specifically wrestlers (both male and female) and others connected to the sport. What was your goal, and what challenges did you face?

"We had two choices: either make a film with professional actors and teach them to wrestle, or work with actual wrestlers. I considered the first option but quickly dismissed it. When telling a story about something so deeply rooted in Canarian identity and our collective imagination, it felt more authentic to use people who have truly wrestled. Their bodies carry the memory of wrestling throughout much of their lives. The challenge was the intense casting process. My casting director, Cendrine Lapuyade, who specializes in non-actors, and I spent over two years meeting hundreds of wrestlers."

"It felt more honest to feature wrestlers, not actors, for this story centered on Canarian wrestling."

How did the experiences of this cast, who knew the wrestling world firsthand, enrich the project?

"Their input actually helped us rewrite the film. The casting sessions were very personal, almost like a mini-therapy session, where everyone felt comfortable sharing their personal stories. The experiences of those we selected, and even many we didn't, helped us refine our ideas. The metaphor of fighting in life and in the ring became clearer and stronger through conversations with these wrestlers. Once we had our full cast – Tomasín Padrón, Inés Cano, Yazmina Estupiñán, Sara Cano, and others – we started extensive rehearsals and rewrites. So, while Marina Alberti, Samuel M. Delgado, and I had a basic script, it was constantly shaped by real-life interactions. This brought a genuine honesty to the film. We approached the story without imposing our own ideas, instead trying to understand the world we wanted to portray. I see filmmaking as an experience: journeying through a space with people, getting to know others… The process of making a film changes you."

La Lucha premieres on Tuesday and opens in cinemas on Friday. What emotions do you feel looking back at its journey, from the initial idea to now?

"Making a film is a long process. We started imagining this film during the pandemic, when being confined gave us a lot of time to think and research. My feelings are very positive. We've already had preview screenings in Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. La Lucha's journey began at the San Sebastián Film Festival, then went on to Brazil, Canada, Italy, France… It has won several awards. We've shown it to international audiences, and it seems to have a universal story. But I can't help but feel nervous about how it will be received here, as we made it with our local audience very much in mind, given that it explores our collective identity."

"This isn't a film with grand dramatic gestures; instead, it slowly delves into both the deeply personal and the communal."

La Lucha shares a common thread with your first feature film, Slimane (2013): the idea of the protagonists' bodies as the foundation of the story.

"Yes, I like to place the body alongside the landscape, a technique we also used in Slimane. It allows us to experience the story very closely with the characters, to feel their breathing, their pain, and then suddenly zoom out to see them within their environment. That's also why we chose Fuerteventura for La Lucha. The film talks about absence, and the dry, stark qualities of that landscape greatly contributed to that theme."

What other recurring themes or concerns would you say are present in your films?

"The concept of identity, for example. This film is about a family, but it touches on universal questions: who we are, why we're here, how we overcome loss. The idea of community also interests me – how working together can lead to greater resilience. I believe La Lucha isn't a film of big dramatic moments; instead, it slowly reveals itself, layer by layer. It moves from the most individual and intimate experiences to the broader communal ones."

In recent years, you've also worked in production and cinematography through El Viaje Films. How do these other roles influence your perspective as a director?

"I studied at the International School of Film and Television in Cuba. In the early years, the courses were very broad, covering everything: production, sound, photography, directing, editing, art. A modern filmmaker needs to understand several areas. For cinematography, even though I hadn't directed a film for 12 years, it kept me closely involved in how scenes are set up. Cinematography, handled by Mauro Herce (who worked on Sirat, Spain's Oscar candidate, for example) for La Lucha, is crucial for a film. The director and cinematographer work together to plan and stage a film. Taking on this role for other directors' projects has allowed me to constantly reflect on cinema, on storytelling, on what interests me, and how we approach and film people. A great benefit of being a cinematographer is that you're as involved in building the film as the director, but you often have a bit more perspective because your ego isn't as tied up in it [laughs]. A director is usually focused on their film doing well, reaching a wide audience, getting into festivals. As a cinematographer, you just have to help that film succeed. That slight distance can offer greater clarity."

"The casting was like a small psychoanalysis in which everyone let themselves go to address personal issues."

In these various roles, and as a film lover, what do you look for in a story when deciding to get involved in a new project?

"For me, the human element is the most vital, both in the script and in our approach to the story. As a producer, I'm interested in the person I'm working with and their perspective on others. The theme is important, yes, but you can make an interesting film out of any subject."

Is it easier or harder to get a film project off the ground today compared to when you started?

"Easier. In the Canary Islands, it was incredibly difficult to even consider making a film just a few years ago. The fact that a film dedicated to Canarian wrestling, with all its significance to us, hadn't been made until now, really highlights that situation. Current filmmakers like David Pantaleón, Macu Machín, Víctor Moreno, Samuel M. Delgado, and Helena Girón, among others, are essentially starting from scratch. While there were important films before, like Guarapo (Santiago and Teodoro Ríos, 1989), they were few and far between. So, it's rewarding to contribute to building a creative identity. Identity is formed through many layers, and fiction is a very important one that hasn't been explored as much. We also build our identity when we see ourselves represented on screen."