Baja California will host the 79th Muestra Internacional de Cine, a touring program from the Cineteca Nacional (Mexico’s national film archive and cinema center), across five cities from June 5 to 24. No other state in the country will have as many screening locations for the program this year. Free screenings begin June 5 in Playas de Rosarito, Tecate, and Ensenada, while ticketed shows at Cinépolis art-house theaters in Mexicali and Tijuana start June 11.
Cineteca Nacional’s 55 Year History and Baja California’s Selection
The Cineteca Nacional was founded in Mexico City in 1974, though its Muestra Internacional program dates back even further, now in its 55th year of continuous operation. The program has served as Mexico’s primary window into world cinema, touring selections of award-winning international films to cities beyond the capital. For most of its history, the Muestra focused on major metropolitan centers like Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Puebla.
Baja California’s selection as the state with the most venues marks a shift in that pattern. The state government pursued the partnership as part of what officials describe as a cultural decentralization strategy, working with both the Cineteca Nacional and Cinépolis, Mexico’s largest cinema chain. Until recently, the Muestra had limited presence in the peninsula’s northern state.
The 79th edition carries the theme “New Perspectives and Territories of Contemporary Cinema” and features 13 films by directors who have screened at Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. The lineup opens with Tus dos muertos (“Your Two Dead,” Mexico, 2025), directed by Daniel Castro Zimbrón. Other directors in the selection include Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz, Turkish-German director Fatih Akin, Chinese director Bi Gan, Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason, and Mexican-Canadian filmmaker Nicolás Pereda. The classic title in the lineup is Memorias del subdesarrollo (“Memories of Underdevelopment,” Cuba, 1968), directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, widely considered one of the most important Latin American films ever made.
Five Venues Across Baja California With Two Ticket Tiers
The screening schedule splits into two tracks with different dates, locations, and pricing. Here is the breakdown.
Free screenings (June 5 to 14): The Centros Estatales de las Artes (state arts centers) in three cities will host the first wave at no cost. These are the CEART Playas de Rosarito, the CEART Tecate, and the CEART Ensenada. All screenings at these venues are open to the general public with free admission. Specific showtimes have not yet been published, but the state arts centers typically post daily schedules on their social media pages and at the venue.
Ticketed screenings (June 11 to 24): Cinépolis Salas de Arte locations at Plaza San Pedro in Mexicali and Plaza Río in Tijuana will host the second wave at standard box office prices. Cinépolis art-house tickets in Mexico typically run between 70 and 90 pesos (roughly $4 to $5 USD), though prices vary by showtime and day of the week. Loyalty card discounts and weekday matinee pricing usually apply.
The overlap period from June 11 to 14 means films will screen at both free and ticketed venues simultaneously. For viewers in Rosarito, Tecate, or Ensenada who want to see additional titles, the Tijuana Cinépolis at Plaza Río on Paseo de los Héroes offers the closest ticketed alternative after June 14.
Baja California’s Growing Role in Mexico’s Film Circuit
Baja California has steadily built its film infrastructure over the past decade. The Baja Studios facility in Rosarito, originally constructed for James Cameron’s Titanic in 1996, continues to attract international productions. The state also hosted the Festival de Cine de Ensenada for several editions. Tijuana’s proximity to Hollywood, just 20 miles south of the border, has made it a natural corridor for binational film projects and co-productions.
Still, the state has lacked consistent access to Mexico’s curated art-house film programs. The Cineteca Nacional’s Muestra touring through all five municipalities at once changes that equation. The free CEART screenings lower the barrier for audiences who may not regularly visit art-house cinemas, and the 10-day window at those venues gives enough time to catch multiple films.
The 79th Muestra Internacional de Cine runs through June 24 in Tijuana and Mexicali, with the free screenings in Rosarito, Tecate, and Ensenada wrapping up June 14. Full schedules are expected on the Cineteca Nacional website and at each venue. This story was first reported by La Jornada Baja California.