At the place where the border between Ambos Nogales hums with life — where the smell of gasoline from cars waiting to cross into Arizona mixes with the aroma of street food — the everyday landscape is transformed into cinema. It is at this point of tension and connection where “Film on the Fence” turns the dividing line into a shared screen.
“Everything in Nogales is there — life, the stands, the people, the noise,” says Oscar Rene Coronado, director of the Nogales International Film Festival, which will take place May 13-17 in Nogales, Sonora, and Nogales, Arizona.
Coronado is excited by the idea of a screen becoming part of the wall, and of a space so heavily used by families who gather on both sides of the border transforming, even if only for a moment, into a small, improvised open-air movie theater.
“The first time I experienced it, the concept blew my mind — seeing people’s reactions and everything that goes into putting on an event like this,” he told Arizona Luminaria, his voice filled with emotion.
He sees it every day: families who meet through the fence to share the same space and moment.
“It’s one of the things that fascinates me most — how families sit along the line for hours, sharing a taco, passing a burrito, talking. It’s such a powerful image to see how they can be so close and not be able to hug, not be able to give each other a kiss on the cheek,” he says.
That is why the Nogales International Film Festival recaptures a kind of contained magic — allowing families and border residents to sit and watch a film as if, for a few hours, the fence disappeared into the open Nogales sky.
“You experience the border fully, because right where we set up the screen is where people gather to talk,” he says with a contagious laugh. “We take away their gathering spot,” he adds, still laughing. In exchange, they provide chairs on both sides of the fence so people can share the experience of watching films together, despite the dividing line.
This year’s festival continues to expand its national presence with a strong lineup of films, documentaries and notable guests across different venues in Nogales. Among the highlights is the Sundance Award-winning film “American Pachuco,” which celebrates the legacy of Latino film pioneer Luis Valdez.
The festival will also welcome director, producer and screenwriter Ben DeJesus, an Emmy and Tony nominee and four-time Imagen Award winner. The project is connected to John Leguizamo, who travels across cities speaking about Latino culture and how it enriches the United States.
Directors, actors and producers from projects such as the Netflix documentary “Selena y Los Dinos” and “Las Tres Sisters” will also attend. Together, these voices reflect the depth, diversity and impact of Latino storytelling in today’s cinematic landscape.
The evolution of the Nogales Film Festival
For more than 15 years, the project now known as the Nogales International Film Festival has evolved from an almost improvised idea into a binational cultural event. Its founder, Samuel Saunders, had previously worked at the Morelia International Film Festival and was known for organizing influential gatherings at a space called “Sam’s House,” famous for bringing together film figures in an exclusive setting.
After moving to Nogales, Saunders sought to recreate that spirit, adapted to the border. The defining idea came simply: to project films directly onto the border wall. That symbolic gesture gave rise to a festival that, over time, has redefined the wall not as a barrier, but as a shared screen between two countries.
“It used to be called the Santa Cruz County Film Festival; after Santa Cruz, it was renamed the Borderland Film Festival,” Coronado says.
That name stayed until the pandemic when the festival nearly died.Two years later, the project that seemed to be fading found new momentum.
“I met Samuel and he wanted to do one last edition. I helped him do it,” Coronado says.
That edition, initially conceived as a closing chapter, became a turning point.
“When that phase ended, we talked,” Coronado said. “I told him I loved everything he was doing, the concept, and that I would take over the festival moving forward — but that I needed full creative and operational control.”
From that agreement, a period of rebuilding began. “Francisco (J. Landin Jr.) and I adopted the festival, and it took us two years to rebuild it.”
For more than two years now, the Southern Arizona Film Society has led the organization. The relaunch involved not only restructuring but redefining its identity.
“We called it the Nogales International Film Festival to give it an identity tied to the people of Nogales and the city,” Coronado says, emphasizing the intention to root the project in the border community while projecting it beyond.
“Once I was in Nogales, I fell in love with the culture of the people and the sense of brotherhood between both sides of Nogales,” says Coronado, originally from Hermosillo and now based in Tucson, recalling how deeply he was moved by the community that exists across the border.
Coronado spoke with Arizona Luminaria about the festival’s evolution and what it means to transform the border wall into a shared screen. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: About this festival that transforms the border wall into a shared screen between two countries, what reactions have you observed from audiences on both sides?
A: The Nogales festival has no political intention and does not seek to send a specific message. Our message is unity, community and, above all, to entertain people.
However, the audience’s reaction has been that they perceive a very strong message about the importance of not having walls, of sharing spaces and building community. People are amazed to see a film projected onto the wall.
Q: How has the festival evolved?
A: People think it’s new, but it’s not. We rebranded and rebuilt the festival’s image, and now we want to make it more formal: offer talks, workshops, special guests and bring in newer films.
Q: How many people are you expecting this time?
A: This time I’ll request 200 chairs on each side and reserve 100 extra in case it fills up. We’ll encourage people to bring their own chairs for comfort. There will be food vendors, and we’re planning to give away 150 Sonoran hot dogs on each side during the final screening.
Q: Tell us about the curation of the festival?
A: Francisco and I handle the film curation. Short films are submitted through FilmFreeway, a platform where we announce the festival and FilmFreeway can submit their work. Everything is free to the public; tickets have no cost, but seats must be reserved because they fill up.
Q: What’s new in this festival?
A: The festival is just one part of what we do; it’s where all the work we do as a nonprofit comes together.
We have an organization (Southern Arizona Film Society) that started at the same time as the festival, where we offer free film workshops, classes and mentorship. If someone has a project, they can submit it and we guide them on how to develop it, what funds to apply for and, if they don’t have an organization backing them, we can support them as sponsors.
📍 Festival venues
International Street (Calle Internacional)
Located along the border between Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, International Street serves as a unique space for “Film on the Fence” screenings, where the wall becomes a shared screen.
Oasis Cinema 9 (Cine Oasis 9)
Operated by Mitchell Theatres, this cinema offers a big-city movie experience with the feel of a small-town community.
Imfoculta Cultural Center
A key cultural institution in Nogales, Sonora, operated by the city’s Municipal Institute of Culture and Arts.
Holler & Saunders, LTD
The main venue for special events, including post-screening gatherings and award ceremonies.
GOK Building
A space aimed at inspiring youth through culture and artistic expression.
The full festival schedule can be found here.
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