Canton, GA
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Theatre Events and Facilities Director
770-704-0755
kristin.green@cantonga.gov
Historic Canton Theatre
Upcoming Showings and Productions
Bulls and Saints- Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers
- Date: 09/29/2024 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Location: Canton Theatre
171 E Main St.
Canton, Georgia 30114
Join us Sunday, September 29 at 2pm for the first film in the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. This free screening will feature the documentary "Bulls and Saints", followed by a panel discussion with Rodrigo Dorfman (Director), moderated by Peaberry Film Festival Founder Brent Zaffino-Lambert. Special thanks to the Fox Theatre for their partnership in bringing this program to the Canton Theatre.
The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. This screening is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
“The bulls throw you to the ground, the saints lift you to the skies.”
This is a proverb that holds true for Tacho Juárez and Cecilia Mendoza, who live in constant limbo as undocumented immigrants in the United States. Their lives take an unexpected turn when they decide to return home to Mexico after 24 years away.
As teenagers in love, they ran away from Cheran, their hometown, in search of opportunity and adventure in the United States. Like many, they had planned to go for just a few years but ended up staying for many more, eventually settling in rural North Carolina. After years of hardship, they had two sons, Alan and “Flaco”. To satisfy their nostalgia and survive the isolation of being an undocumented family, Tacho and Cecilia started helping organize traditional community fiestas.
These elaborate celebrations of the revered Saints of their town, complete with bull rodeos, transform the rural South into a temporary Cheran and pass down important cultural traditions to their children while strengthening the community. With their roots now growing deeper in el Norte, Tacho and Cecilia have found a semblance of stability, although very aware that anything can happen to an undocumented family to unsettle their peace. At this stage, many undocumented Latinx immigrants abandon the dream of returning home and find a way to settle down in the United States for good. Yet, for Tacho and Cecilia, the longing to be with their families and the “simple life” of their town has only intensified, making their return inevitable.
The “American Dream” is not for everyone. Meanwhile, in Cheran, family tragedy, environmental crisis, and social upheaval have forever changed their town. Moving forward with their plans, they discover the emotional and logistical complexity of making their dream become a reality and soon realize that it will be the most difficult journey of their lives. Set between the rodeo arenas of North Carolina and the spellbinding Mexican town they yearn for, Bulls and Saints is a love story about reverse migration, rebellion, and redemption.
History of the Theatre
As early as 1911, the Historic Canton Theatre was used to show slides and silent movies. Later, in the early 1920s, the Theatre changed owners and was renamed “The Bonita,” which held movie showings on Fridays and Saturdays.
During this era, the popularity of the Theatre grew rapidly. The Theatre was soon renovated, expanded, and renamed “The Haven.” It presented the people of Canton first line shows, including their first talking motion picture, the 1928 film “Singing Fool,” starring famous singing star Al Jolson.
The “Haven” continued to be a movie house for several more years until the late 1930s, when the Theatre was sold to the Martin-Thompson Theatre Company. The newly named “Canton Theatre” was then remodeled to reflect the Art Deco design so popular during that time.
The spectacular new Theatre had improvements that were truly unique, such as a steel skeleton for improved stability and safety. The fireproof walls and sprinkler system ensured that no fire would last long. New air conditioning and heating systems were installed in the Theatre to make it more comfortable for larger audiences. New restrooms and dressing rooms had a modernistic design. Red and blue uniformed employees at the “Candy Bar” sold candy and popcorn from the new popper, while an array of bright neon lights surrounded the Theatre, bathing it in colorful beauty. The size of the stage was expanded to make it larger than ever before. The new Canton Theatre was indeed a splendid site at the Grand Opening, which took place on September 30, 1940.
The Canton Theatre played the best motion pictures of the time. It was described as a “thoroughly modern sound and movie palace, with all the comfort, light, and cheer that denotes a first class picture theatre housed in the "larger cities.”
The Theatre continued to show movies for 30 more years, but by the mid 1970s, the popularity of the Theatre declined dramatically. Many guests felt that it had become too out of date. They wanted to see movies with the convenience of drive-ins and with many more choices. As a result, the Theatre sat idle for many years and subsequently went into disrepair.
In 1994, the Theatre was purchased by an individual for restoration. The City of Canton then acquired the property in a land swap in 1997. It was later deeded to the Downtown Development Authority in order to secure financing for restoration, which soon began. The Canton Theatre was restored to the Art Deco style of the 1930s and was reopened in a Dedication Ceremony, taking place on May 26, 2000.
Since that time, the Canton Theatre has become a community fixture, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy live theatre from both local and traveling productions, as well as entertainment from musicians, comedians and film screening events.