Director: Kate Kroll
Running Time: 114 Minutes
When it comes to wrestling, the repeated phrase that appears is how fake it all is. Regardless of how staged the brawls and stories are, it does not diminish how the professionals participating have to be athletes, stunt people, and actors all at once. The largest wrestling promotion in the world is WWE (previously known as WWF), which has brought forth many well-known names such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and The Rock (whatever happened to that chap?) Yet, of the wrestlers who premiered in the '90s, one who deserves to be known more widely is Luna Vachon.
The adopted daughter of Paul "Butcher" Vachon, Luna followed in the Vachon family's footsteps to become a pro-wrestler. Her dream was to one day become the WWF women's champion, and she was willing to achieve that by playing the villain. However, that was a dream that would remain out of her reach, something that is exceptionally captured in Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story.
As somebody whose wrestling knowledge comes from Playstation One games, director Kate Kroll paints a fascinating picture that is welcoming to WWF newcomers. The backdrop to this tale is a landscape that was unwelcoming to women, with their matches being treated as a novelty. In a male dominated industry, Luna broke the mold in her mission to prove women wrestlers were just as skilled and capable as their male counterparts.
Regardless of how much she built her reputation to move towards her dream, Luna could become her own worst enemy. Her struggles with past trauma, bipolar disorder, and drug use were limiting factors within her career, elements which also highlight how few people looked out for her in this worrisome environment. It all contributes to an increased toll on her mental health, as Kroll charts in wrestling footage that shows Luna relegated to an oddity role.
One of the most saddening moments is her match against Sable, with the footage and recollections painting a picture of Luna falling short against her opponent's favoured treatment. While getting a little bit hurt is expected in this physical environment, the final nail in the coffin is the prospect of Sable getting hurt putting Luna's job at risk. It captures how doing whatever she could was not enough, and it left the titular wrestler unable to fight for her dream.
While this may sound like a depressing time, what offsets it is the real love and emotion shared by the people reminiscing over her while talking about personal stories. A standout one is her father, Paul Vachon, makes a startling first impression as he shares that he believes all women wrestlers become lesbians. Despite this, his continued appearances capture a heartbreaking look at a father dearly missing his daughter, looking back at the girl he loved as his life nears its end.
As footage shows her finally appreciated, it is a tear-inducing moment that was a long time coming. It is lovely to see, yet one wishes that such recognition came her way much sooner. Whether you are a wrestling superfan or agnostic, there is much to love with this documentary that will leave you saying that Vince McMahon can go fuck himself. Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story is a compelling portrait of a woman's wrestling pioneer who never got her due.
Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story premiered at Fantastic Fest 2025
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