Tucson Cine Mexico
The American Southwest's most important Mexican and Chicano film festival, held annually in March in Tucson, Arizona, celebrating Mexican cinema and Chicano storytelling at the cultural borderland between the US and Mexico.
Overview
Tucson Cine Mexico is the American Southwest's most important Mexican and Chicano film festival. Founded in 2009 and held annually in March in Tucson, Arizona -- a city on the US-Mexico border with deep connections to both Mexican culture and Indigenous Tohono O'odham heritage -- the festival celebrates Mexican cinema and Chicano storytelling at the cultural borderland between the two nations.
The festival's Tucson location gives it unique resonance. As a border city where Mexican and American cultures have been intertwined for centuries, Tucson provides an audience that understands both sides of the cultural equation that the festival's programming explores. The proximity to Mexico creates a natural audience of Mexican-American community members alongside film enthusiasts.
The festival has developed a reputation for strong programming of Mexican art house and independent cinema alongside Chicano documentaries and narratives that engage with the borderlands experience.
Key Sections
- Mexican Cinema Competition -- new Mexican features and shorts competing for prizes
- Chicano/Latino Film Program -- films by and about Chicano and Latino communities in the US
- Documentary Program -- nonfiction films addressing the US-Mexico relationship
- Short Film Competition -- Mexican and Chicano short films
- Border Stories -- films specifically addressing the borderlands experience
What Filmmakers Should Know
Tucson Cine Mexico accepts open submissions. For Mexican filmmakers, the festival provides access to US border audiences and the Southwest Latino market. For Chicano filmmakers, Tucson provides a dedicated platform that understands the specific cultural context of borderlands storytelling.
Major Awards
- Best Mexican Film -- jury prize
- Best Chicano Film
- Audience Award
Festival History
Tucson Cine Mexico was founded in 2009 as a platform for Mexican and Chicano cinema in the US borderlands.
See Also
For Mexican cinema, see International Film Markets. For Chicano filmmaking, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies.
