‘Tierra de Amor y Coraje’ premiere puts southern Arizona in the spotlight

TUCSON – Southern Arizona rolled out the red carpet Thursday evening for the U.S. debut of the Mexican telenovela “Tierra de Amor y Coraje” (Land of Love and Courage) at La Rosa venue in Tucson. The event attracted media from across the United States and Mexico, marking a milestone for the Old Pueblo and highlighting Tucson as a growing destination for film and television production.

The premiere served as the culmination of months of work by Film Tucson, which played a key role in coordinating the production's logistics. The project filmed in Southern Arizona for more than two months and generated a significant economic impact for the region by supporting local businesses.

“After the tremendous success of the nine-week production here in Tucson and throughout our region, the icing on the cake is, of course, hosting the U.S. premiere of the telenovela. The exposure that it will bring to Tucson will be magnificent,” said Monica López, senior production manager for Film Tucson.

Southern Arizona sets the stage for Mexican telenovela, ‘Tierra de Amor y Coraje’

Southern Arizona has become the primary setting for “Tierra de Amor y Coraje,” the first Mexican telenovela filmed in Tucson, according to tourism officials.

The TelevisaUnivision production filmed 70% of its scenes during the spring of 2026 in and around Tucson and involved an extensive logistical effort, with approximately 130 cast and crew members traveling from Mexico and making a meaningful investment in the local economy. The production generated millions of dollars in local spending and accounted for 3,838 hotel room nights. Over more than 50 days of filming, production hired 200 local actors and 47 local crew members, totaling 12,350 working days.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, present at the Thursday night premiere, highlighted the significance of “Tierra de Amor y Coraje” being filmed in the city, emphasizing the production’s cultural and economic impact and the opportunity to showcase Tucson’s unique landscapes to audiences around the world.

"It is an incredible honor to have TelevisaUnivision and the lead cast of ‘Tierra de Amor y Coraje’ here. The economic impact of this production is incredible. As mayor of Tucson, our city worked to ensure that this cast and production came here. With the debut of this telenovela, I am certain that the locations and landscapes will captivate viewers around the world and help boost Tucson’s economy by attracting more visitors and tourists to our beautiful city," Romero said.

‘Tierra de Amor y Coraje’ celebrates Arizona

CALÓ News was invited to cover the special red-carpet event where the lead cast — including Sofía Castro and the Coraje brothers, played by Emanuel Palomares, Brandon Peniche and Emilio Osorio — and executive producer José Alberto “Güero” Castro were present. 

The event kicked off with welcoming remarks from Felipe García, CEO of Visit Tucson, who greeted the cast, members of the media and special guests, including Romero.

"We are excited about this project and want to thank el ‘Güero’ Castro, one of the top producers of Spanish-language content. He had a vision for creating a project that showcases our community. When you watch this telenovela, you'll be inspired. As a Tucsonan, it's a great testament to what Latinos can accomplish in this state," said García.

Nitzia Chama, correspondent for Despierta América, then took the stage to introduce the exclusive trailer. As it played on the big screen, the cast, producer and audience watched with excitement, seeing the finished production for the first time together.

Following the sneak peek, the renowned producer and the lead cast got on stage for an interactive Q&A session, sharing anecdotes and answering questions from the press.

Castro acknowledged that bringing the production to Arizona required overcoming significant logistical challenges, including the visa process. However, he emphasized that the project was made possible through the tremendous support and collaboration they received from Tucson Film and the local communities of Tucson and Phoenix.

"They helped us streamline the entire production process. The team we worked with was incredible. Being away from home in another country can be challenging, but from the very beginning, there was a mutual understanding that made us feel welcome,” he said. "It was a demanding process, and we had tremendous support from a large team that handled logistics, transportation, vehicles, permits and every aspect of the production. In the end, we made it happen. It was truly a collaborative effort and thanks to this cast — their willingness, sincerity, warmth and dedication — we were able to bring this project to life."

Lead actor Palomares reflected on his experience filming in the state, sharing how returning to the U.S. for Thursday’s event brought back memories of a meaningful production and the special connection the cast and crew developed with the locations and communities where they worked.

"To all my people in Arizona, these beautiful landscapes are the protagonists of this incredible project. You opened your doors to us, and we came here with our hearts open, ready to tell this story. Tucson, Tubac and Sedona have witnessed the creation of a story made with heart," Palomares said.

U.S. audiences will be able to stream the first five episodes on ViX starting Friday, Aug. 7, with a new episode premiering each Friday thereafter. The telenovela will make its U.S. broadcast debut on Univision at a later date.

Executive produced by José Alberto Castro, “Tierra de Amor y Coraje” stars Sofía Castro, Brandon Peniche, Emmanuel Palomares and Emilio Osorio. Set against the spectacular Southern Arizona desert landscape, the story of love, ambition and revenge follows two families locked in a generations-long feud who discover that destiny can be stronger than hate.

Dawn Page (she/her; Latine) is a freelance writer for CALÓ News. She grew up on the U.S.-Mexico border between Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta, Sonora. She recently earned a Master’s in Bilingual Journalism from the University of Arizona. Her reporting focuses on immigration, borderlands issues, lifestyle, business and entertainment.