Film: Chulas Fronteras (Beautiful Borderlands) (1976)

Learning Beyond the Classics: Mexican Cinema: Épocas de Oro Directed by Les Blank With Ramiro Cavazos, Los Alegres De Teran, Los Pinguinos del Norte Not Rated, 58 minutes, DCP In English and Spanish with English subtitles Chulas Fronteras is a joyous introduction to the music and culture of the Texas-Mexican border. From lively dance tunes to soulful, political work songs, musica Norteña fuses traditional Mexican harmonies with central European dancehall rhythms and a little something extra. Newly restored in 4K, Chulas Fronteras celebrates the famed Mexican-American musicians of the borderlands, the migrant farming communities from which they come, the strong family bonds of Tejanos, and the social protest ethos inscribed in their music. Blank & Strachwitz's film brims with tender affection for its subjects, the vitality of their marvelous music, and the generosity of spirit they show in the face of hardship.