CULTURE CLUB
SEE THIS: FRONTIER LIFE

There is more to life in Tijuana than just cheap pharmaceuticals, bars with no last call, and prostitutes. The documentary Frontier Life proves it, as director Hans Fjellestad explores the culture of a city that has grown up between the borders of two very different countries, the United States and Mexico. Tijuana's youth are brought up to make the best out of what they have been given - which explains the cultural drive to build something out of nothing. DJ collectives like Nortec and Trummerflora and solo stars Titicacaman and Panóptica contribute a soundtrack that tellingly blends industrial and techno sounds with traditional Mexican music. The film also focuses on the cultish subculture of drag racing, where drivers showcase muscle cars they've committed their lives to custom-rigging, part by part, from junkyards across the border. Truly, necessity is the mother of invention - and the queen of Tijuana. Frontier Life already enjoyed a tour of West Coast theaters and, although it will be hitting the indie festival circuit this Spring, will be released on DVD soon.

- Crystal Meers