Nogales Film Festival, "Film on the Fence" event on May 1, 2025 in Nogales, Ariz. The festival was a four day event that kicked off with Absence of Eden, directed by Marco Perego and starring Zoe Saldaña and Garrett Hedlund. The festival also recognized Oscar-nominated actress Adriana Barraza, who was honored, via her producer, with the festival’s inaugural “Breaking Borders” award and a special legacy tribute.
Starting on April 30th, the Nogales International Film Festival turned heads—and broke barriers—by transforming the U.S.-Mexico border into a symbol of connection rather than division. The centerpiece of the festival, the “Film on the Fence” event, projected films simultaneously on both sides of the border wall, allowing audiences in Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, to share a cinematic experience under the stars.
“This is not a political statement for me, it’s a cultural statement,” said Oscar René Coronado, co-director of the festival. “It’s a way of showing both sides of the fence of something that entertains them, something that catches their eyes, something that will distract the people from their normal problems or their normal things.”
Samuel Sanders, one of the festival’s founders, echoed that sentiment. “Film on the Fence is showing the same movie simultaneously in both countries,” he said. “Symbolically, for a minute, the border doesn’t exist because people on both sides are watching together. It makes the border a friendly place.”
The festival, which began over a decade ago as the Santa Cruz County Film Festival and later became the Borderlands Film Festival, has deep roots in the region’s history. Sanders, who has lived in Nogales for 53 years, said the original goal was to spotlight the town’s rich cinematic legacy. “There have been around 130 movies and TV shows filmed in Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, over the last 100 years,” he noted.
Highlighting the festival’s international flair, the event kicked off with Absence of Eden, directed by Marco Perego and starring Zoe Saldaña and Garrett Hedlund. The festival also recognized Oscar-nominated actress Adriana Barraza, who was honored, via her producer, with the festival’s inaugural “Breaking Borders” award and a special legacy tribute. Barraza, who received her Oscar nomination for her performance in Babel, also plays a prominent role in Blue Beetle, the first live-action superhero film starring a Latino lead.
A standout at this year’s festival was the work-in-progress premiere of Señor Apache, a documentary about Los Apson, one of the first Mexican rock bands to achieve cross-border fame. Producer and cinematographer Nicolas Gutierrez Wenhammar described the film as a passion project nearly a decade in the making. “It’s about the life and legacy of the band members who are still active,” he explained. “Los Apson started by doing Spanish-language covers of U.S. and British rock songs in the 1960s, and they’re a huge part of Mexican and South U.S. rock history.” Wenhammar was particularly moved to bring Señor Apache to Nogales. “We shot parts of the film here years ago, so coming back to show it in the place where it was made is very authentic and emotional,” he said. “For me as a filmmaker, it’s special to be in the actual community where the story lives.”
He was also inspired by the unique symbolism of Film on the Fence. “The idea of using a fence as a screen makes it, in some way, invisible—and in another way, a mirror,” Wenhammar said. “Projecting films simultaneously on both sides of the wall is powerful because it creates dialogue and connection between the two communities. It’s lovely to have a film here, because what cinema is losing more and more is the physical sense of being with people in a meaningful place—and this place has meaning.”
Festival Co-director and filmmaker Francisco Javier Landin Jr. also spoke about the significance of the festival’s return and its new direction. “What excites me most is seeing how the festival has become a true reflection of the border community’s resilience and creativity,” Landin said. “It’s not just about showing films—it’s about telling our own stories, in our own voices, and bringing people together across divides.”
The festival’s week-long programming featured events at Oasis Cinema in Nogales, AZ, and Infoculta in Nogales, Sonora. Highlights included the youth film showcase, multinational shorts, and the special screening of Señor Apache with the filmmakers in attendance for a Q&A. Inclusivity and accessibility remain central to the festival’s mission. “This is a beautiful event, and we do not charge anyone anything,” Coronado emphasized. “We intend to keep it this way in the years to come. It’s a fun festival, and we just want people to come and enjoy.”
Looking ahead, Wenhammar and his team are seeking funds—around $100,000 to $150,000—to complete Señor Apache, including paying for music rights. “We hope that by sharing the film here, not only the local community but also potential backers will get excited to help us finish it,” he said. Supporters can follow their crowdfunding campaign on Instagram at @cauce.cine.
With its unique blend of binational programming and a mission rooted in unity, the Nogales International Film Festival is setting a new standard for what film festivals can achieve, on both sides of the fence.
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