COMPAÑERAS is a documentary feature film that profiles America’s first all-female mariachi band: Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles. Since 1994, this 12-member group has been taking on a male-dominated musical tradition and building the popularity of mariachi music.

Musically stunning and emotionally compelling, this intimate film sheds light not only on a unique and fascinating Mexican tradition, but also on larger issues of gender and culture in American society.

The film will be followed by a discussion that will explore the challenges the band members face: how to balance family life with career, how to achieve equal pay, how to deal with emotional conflict, and how to balance competing priorities. 

This program is co-sponsored by Independent Television Service (ITVS), the National Museum of Mexican Art, The Public Square, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and WTTW Channel 11.

The Public Square, a program of the Illinois Humanities Council, fosters debate, dialogue, and exchange of ideas about cultural, social, and political issues with an emphasis on social justice. We promote participatory democracy by creating space for public conversations through our programs and events, such as Artists, Activists, & Authors After Hours (AAAH), Café Society, Civic Cinema, and Know More: Conversations that Matter.

For more information, visit Independent Lens online or call 773-677-9600.