A vital platform for Mexican cinema in the U.S.
ABOUT
Actress Carmen Beato, director Patricia Martinez de Velasco, actor Jesús Ochoa and Tucson Cine Mexico co-director Carlos Gutierrez at Aqui Entre Nos post-screening Q&A, Tucson Cine Mexico 2013
Mexican cinema is at an exceptional moment. Beyond the now household names of Alejandro González Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuarón, and Guillermo del Toro, there’s an exciting generation of young filmmakers from different regions in the country who are drastically changing how Mexicans see and represent themselves on the big screen, and challenging traditional notions of Mexican culture and identity. The exciting wave heralded by films such as Amores Perros and Y Tu Mama Tambien has given way to a strong body of work making Mexico an international and exciting player in world cinema.
Established in Tucson by the UA Hanson Film Institute in 2004, Tucson Cine Mexico (TCM) is the longest-running festival of contemporary Mexican cinema in the United States, and has become a vital platform for the screening of Mexican films in this country. The festival is free and promoted bilingually, and regularly attracts a diverse audience. Since its inception, Tucson Cine Mexico has attracted more than 20,000 festival-goers and has been host to more than 40 filmmakers and industry professionals. In addition to the annual film lineup, which generally features a mix of award-winning contemporary films and documentaries, the festival encourages audience participation and education via post-screening Q&As and filmmaker panels. Tucson Cine Mexico takes place over 4-5 days each March, with occasional special event screenings at other times through the year.
The Hanson Film Institute is proud to present Tucson Cine Mexico in partnership with New York's Cinema Tropical, the organization dedicated to promoting, programming and distributing Latin American cinema in the United States, and Ambulante, the Mexico City-based organization dedicated to supporting and disseminating documentary film as a tool for cultural and social transformation.
Festival Highlights over the years
The key to the success of Tucson Cine Mexico lies in its astute programming, in the ongoing relationships developed with filmmakers and distributors, and in the fostering of loyal and ever-growing audiences. Select festival highlights include:
In 2016, TCM presented the premiere in advance of its US theatrical release of La delgada línea amarilla/The Thin Yellow Line, with first-time director Celso García in attendance to receive TCM’s Jaguar Award for Directorial Debut. A week before the screening took place in Tucson, La delgada línea amarilla received 14 Ariel (Mexican Academy Award) nominations —the highest number of nominations for any film that year.
Many of the films selected for screening at Tucson Cine Mexico have gone on to join the “Best Mexican Film” critics lists and win multiple international awards, including Güeros (Golden Ariel 2014, Tribeca Film Festival Best Cinematography 2014), Heli (Festival de Cannes Best Director 2013), Club Sandwich (San Sebastián Film Festival Best Director 2013), El General (Sundance Film Festival Best Director 2009), Luz silenciosa/Silent Light (Golden Ariel 2008, Festival de Cannes Jury Prize 2007), Temporada de patos/Duck Season (AFI Fest Grand Jury Prize 2004, Golden Ariel 2005).
In 2013, Tucson Cine Mexico hosted Jesus Ochoa, one of the most successful and beloved actors in the Mexican film industry, at the Arizona Premiere of his film Aquí entre nos/Between Us. The capacity-crowd screening took place at the Fox Tucson Theatre.
Güeros, part of Tucson Cine Mexico 2015, went on the win Best Picture, Best Director (Alonso Ruizpalacios), and Best First Feature at that year's Mexican Ariel Awards.
In 2010, Tucson Cine Mexico presented El General, the documentary about Plutarco Elias Calles, the revolutionary general who became Mexico’s president in 1924.
Tucson Cine Mexico’s 2009 screening of Carlos Reygadas' Luz silenciosa/Silent Light was set in a Mennonite colony in northern Mexico.
Special Guests hosted by Tucson Cine Mexico
Xavi Sala Writer/Director/Producer 2019
Carlos Rossini Producer/Cinematographer 2019
Cristina Herrera Bórquez Director 2018
Natalia Beristáin Director 2018
Diego Ros Director 2018
Beto Goméz Writer/Director/Producer 2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019
Viviana García Besné Writer/Director/Editor 2012, 2018
María José Cuevas Writer/Director 2017
Celso García Writer/Director 2016
Rafael Gómez Writer/Director 2013, 2015
Carlos González García Producer/Director/Editor 2013, 2015
Walter Von Borstel Producer 2015
Gonzalo Vega Actor 2014
Omar Foglio Director/Writer/Editor 2013, 2014
Jesús Ochoa Actor/Director/Writer 2013
Kyzza Terrazas Writer/Director/Producer 2013
Martha Uc Cinematographer/Editor 2012, 2013
Carlos Bolado Director/Writer/Editor 2013
Jonathan D. Amith Producer/Director 2013
Jacaranda Correa Director/Actress/Writer 2013
Jorge Correa Actor/Theatre Producer 2013
Carmen Beato Actress 2013
Pablo Ramírez Durón Cinematographer/Writer 2013
Patricia Martínez de Velasco Director/Producer/Writer 2013
Sergio Arau Director/Actor/Writer 2006, 2012
Yareli Arizmendi Actress/Producer/Writer 2006, 2012
Trisha Ziff Producer/Director/Writer 2012
Yulene Olaizola Producer/Director/Writer 2012
Alistair Tremps Producer 2012
Julian Levin Producer 2012
Martha Sosa Producer 2011, 2019
Carlos Hagerman Writer/Director/Producer 2011
Yissel Ibarra Producer 2007, 2011
Mariana Chenillo Director 2010
Ana Paola Rodriguez España Director 2010
Natalia Almada Director/Editor/Producer 2010
Amanda Sucar Ambulante Gira de Documentales 2010
Frida Torresblanco Producer 2008, 2009
Rudy Joffroy Producer 2009
Eniac Martínez Photographer 2008
Andrés Léon Becker Cinematographer/Director/Writer 2007
Diego Cataño Actor/Editor/Producer 2006
Jonás Cuarón Writer/Director 2006
Elena Fortes Ambulante Gira de Documentales annual guest
Carlos Gutiérrez Cinema Tropical annual guest
Jonathan Amith
Jacaranda Correa
Pablo Ramírez, Jorge Correa, and Carlos González
Carmen Beato
Kyzza Terrazas
Carlos Bolado
Elena Fortes
Paola Rodríguez and Omar Foglio
Patricia Martínez de Velasco
Martha Uc
Photos by Henny Garfunkel (click to englarge)