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Screening ‘Chulas fronteras’ and ‘Del mero corazón’

Lumpen Radio Presents:
Chulas fronteras & Del mero corazón

Film Screening, Panel Discussion + Performances

Friday, October 30th, 2026 • 6:00–10:00 PM
Lumpen Radio Studio A at Co-Prosperity (3219 S. Morgan St.)
Free and open to the public. Please RSVP to reserve your place.

Join us for a free film screening of the 50th anniversary 4K restoration of the Les Blank/Chris Strachwitz film Chulas fronteras (1976), paired with Del mero corazón (1979).

“Chulas Fronteras” directed by Les Blank and Chris Strachwitz, 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. From joyous, lively dance tunes to soulful, political work songs, this music fuses traditional Mexican harmonies with central European dancehall rhythms. The film brims with tender affection for its subjects, the vitality of their marvelous music, and the generosity of spirit that they show in the face of hardship.

“Del mero corazón” (“Straight from the Heart”), directed by Les Blank and Maureen Gosling, is a lyrical journey through the heart of Chicano culture as reflected in the love songs of the conjunto tejano and musica norteña traditions. The film was constructed from outtakes from Chulas Fronteras and additional footage shot in California.

Followed by a Q&A with Maureen Gosling (Assistant Editor of Chulas Fronteras and Director of Del mero corazón), Juan Antonio Cuéllar (Archivist at Los Cenzontles Music and Art Academy), and Dr. Micaela Diáz-Sánchez (Professor of Chicana/o Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara) moderated by Dr. Alex E. Chávez (Associate Professor of Anthropology at Notre Dame University).

Opening performance
Corridos by Gallo Armado (Monterrey, México)

Closing DJ Sets
Sonido Sabotaje – Jorge Balleza(Monterrey, México)
Mexico-based archivist and media producer, focused on documenting and preserving music and cultural histories.

Trucha Soul – Omar Lozano (Austin, Texas)
DJ and cultural researcher focused on contemporary documentation of music from the Texas–Mexico border.

Full Schedule:

6:00 p.m.: Open Doors

6:30 p.m.: Kick off with Gallo Armado’s performance.

7:00 p.m.: Chulas fronteras and Del mero corazón screening.

8:30 p.m.: Q&A with Maureen Gosling, Juan Antonio Cuéllar, and Dr. Micaela Díaz-Sánchez.

9:15 p.m.: DJ set by Trucha Soul and Sabotaje Media.

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Screening ‘Chulas fronteras’ and ‘Del mero corazón’