Marana on the big screen
Movie making in and around Marana
It’s probably no surprise that southern Arizona — with its towering saguaros, rugged peaks and magnificent sunsets — is a much sought after backdrop for films, especially Westerns. In fact, the first films created in and near Pima County date back to the 1910s with titles like The Good Bad Man, The Girl Stage Driver and The Trail to Yesterday. Over the years more than 85 movies have been filmed in Pima County.
The Marana Film Office
Today there’s an active Marana Film Office providing movie makers assistance with location scouting, licensing, securing accommodations near the film sites, referrals to production and film support services, and more. Some of the more popular nearby filming locations include Lazy K Bar Ranch, Sanctuary Cove, The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, and White Stallion Ranch.
Recently, the Marana Film Office co-sponsored both Film Fest Tucson and the Arizona Film Expo, that brought unparalleled talent to the events, including movie star Barbara Eden and legendary writer/director/producer Peter Bogdanovich. He shared behind-the-scenes stories about the making of Winchester ’73, a classic 1950s western starring Jimmy Stewart, Shelley Winters, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson and Will Geer.
Film Fest Tucson is a destination film festival and a place for filmmakers and audiences to meet, discover and experience unique and important stories told on film.
Recent productions
In early November, Genevieve Anderson’s independent feature DUSTWUN, filmed in Marana, premiered to audiences in Nogales, both Arizona and Sonora.
This December, there will be a premiere of The Tiny House Movie by Avai D’Amico that includes a scene filmed in the Town of Marana Council Chamber. It will premiere the first weekend in December at The Screening Room.
In all, there were four film projects permitted and filmed in Marana between August and October, and two tours provided for additional upcoming projects. No doubt there is more incredible movie making on the horizon.
More about Film Fest Tucson
Film Fest Tucson is the place to be in Tucson in October. It’s a unique and home-grown film festival for passionate movies goers. Programming includes both short and feature-length narrative and documentary films selected for their quality, timeliness and subject matter. With a strong interest in presenting work by emerging as well as established filmmakers, Film Fest Tucson has some of the best audiences on the circuit — educated and savvy film fans who enjoy post screening Q&A’s almost as much as the films themselves. The festival features top quality projection and sound presented in unique venues, as well as panel discussions, receptions and some of Tucson’s most iconic experiences.