This new film and dialogue series explores the U.S.- Mexico borderlands as a space of layered histories, cultural intersections, and creative possibility. Part of the Fox’s Curious Conversations program, the series uses cinema as a springboard for dialogue and connection. Through authentic storytelling and meaningful conversations, this combination of film and panel discussions explores a region that is often portrayed by mainstream media in distorted ways, offering instead a lens rooted in nuance, hope, and humanity.
LAS MARTHAS
(Cristina Ibarra, USA, 2014, 68 min. In Spanish and English with English subtitles)
In 1939, the Society of Martha Washington was founded to usher each year’s debutantes (called “Marthas”) into proper society at the Colonial Pageant and Ball in Laredo, Texas. Celebrated as “a striking alternative portrait of border-town life” (The New York Times), the film follows two Mexican-American girls carrying this gilded tradition on their shoulders during a time of economic uncertainty and tension over immigration. Cristina Ibarra’s landmark documentary, winner of the Cinema Tropical Award for Best U.S. Latinx Film, offers an intimate exploration of identity, belonging, and the contradictions of heritage in a community shaped by both sides of the border.
Screening followed by the a panel discussion with director Cristina Ibarra; folklorist and educator Dr. Maribel Alvarez; and documentary filmmaker, author, and educator Jacob Bricca.
Wednesday, October 8, 7pm — Tickets $12
To purchase tickets and more information visit: www.foxtucson.com
SLEEP DEALER
(Alex Rivera, USA/Mexico, 2008, 88 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Sleep Dealer is a groundbreaking cyberpunk science-fiction thriller that reimagines the U.S./Mexico border in a near future where migration is no longer physical but digital. Memo Cruz (Luis Fernando Peña), a young man from rural Mexico, dreams of a better life in the United States. But in this new world order, borders are sealed, and the only way to “cross” is through the net—by connecting his body to a global network, Memo remotely operates machines in America, sending his labor without his presence. A winner at Sundance and the Berlinale, the film blends genre spectacle with urgent social commentary to depict a world shaped by militarized borders, drone warfare, and outsourced labor. Visually striking and politically resonant, this visionary debut feature by Alex Rivera challenges who gets to be the hero in science fiction—and what futures are worth fighting for.
Screening followed by the a panel discussion with director Alex Rivera; border journalist Melissa del Bosque; and UA professor of art David Taylor.
Wednesday, October 15, 7pm — Tickets $12
To purchase tickets and more information visit: www.foxtucson.com
TAKE IT AWAY
(Adrian Alejandro Arredondo and Myrna Perez, USA, 2025, 73 min. In Spanish and English with English subtitles)
Take It Away is a vibrant, deeply resonant documentary chronicling the rise of Tejano and Regional Mexican music through the story of one unforgettable figure: Johnny Canales. As the charismatic host of a wildly popular, nationally syndicated variety show, Canales introduced viewers across the U.S. and Mexico to rising stars like Selena, Ramón Ayala, and Intocable—bringing borderland sounds into countless homes and onto the mainstream stage. Blending dynamic archival footage with revealing new interviews, the film traces the arc of Canales’s legacy alongside the evolution of a genre that has moved from regional roots to international dominance, paving the way for today’s chart-toppers like Peso Pluma and Grupo Frontera. Both a tribute and a critical reappraisal, the film captures a pivotal era in Latin music history—one where charisma, community, and sound collided to reshape the pop landscape forever.
Wednesday, October 22, 7pm — Tickets $12
To purchase tickets and more information visit: www.foxtucson.com
