Even before the likes of Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal and Oscar Isaac were integral figures of the Star Wars universe, the George Lucas franchise had a stronghold in Latin America. My mom, who grew up in Medellin, Colombia, was an avid fan of La guerra de las galaxias. She remembers seeing the original trilogy in theaters so by the time the prequels came out, our household was already knee-deep in Star Wars fandom.
I kept thinking of the many lightsabers and LEGO figurines and branded mugs that littered my mom’s office (her Argentine partner is, perhaps, even a bigger fan) while watching Fernando Galván’s self-described Dookumentary: A Star Wars Celebration Chicago Story. Cheekily borrowing Christopher Lee’s prequel character’s name (Count Dooku) as if to fortify his project’s geek cred, the hourlong film is more of a video diary about 2019’s Star Wars Celebration. The full-scale event, which is closer to a convention than anything else — with vendors, photo ops, panels and the like— has become a Mecca of sorts for fans of Luke, Leia and every other character in that galaxy far far away.
Joined by his friends and the film’s co-producers, Pedro “Jano” Alvarado, Gustavo “Lobo” De La Torre Casal and Leandro Gómez, Galván’s chronicle is a joyful firsthand account of what it means to attend such an event, especially as a Peruvian fan whose travel all the way to Chicago is no small feat. Galván’s first person journey through the throngs of fans dressed as Anakin and Stormtroopers, through shops selling LEGO figurines and offering personalized tattoos and through the delightful craziness of seeing so many people enjoying all things Star Wars feels like the perfect way to relive what it means to be a fan of the beloved global franchise. Gleefully waving Peru’s flag and donning some A+ Peruvian Estar Guars cosplay, you’ll be sad to have missed this in person.
Catch the full “Dookumentary” below.