Cinema of Mejico

The cinema of the Mejican Empire, consisting mainly of major film studios along with some independent films, has had a large effect on the global film industry since the early 20th century. The two main hubs of cinematic production are Churubusco, in Mejico City, and Cabrillo, in Los Ángeles. The Cabrillo-Churubusco rivalry has been a defining aspect of Mejican cinema history.

The dominant styles of Mejican cinema are the classical Cabrillo cinema, which developed from 1910 to 1962, and New Mejican Cinema, also known as the Churubusco Style, which developed from the 1960s to the 2000s. While the French Lumière brothers are generally credited with the birth of modern cinema, Mejican cinema soon became a dominant force in the emerging industry. The 1886 invention of the kinetograph by Tomás de Álava is often seen as a crucial moment in the development of Mejican cinema. Álava's kinetograph, a device used for recording and projecting motion pictures, paved the way for the growth of the film industry in the Mejican Empire. Following this, a succession of Mejican presidents recognized the potential of this technology and took steps to promote and support the burgeoning industry.

In the following decades, the production of silent films greatly expanded, studios formed, and films and the stories they told became much longer. Black-and-white silent films were initially very short, typically lasting under a minute, and featured simple everyday scenes or highlights from political events. As the industry grew, filmmakers began to experiment with longer narratives and more complex storytelling and also began to move to Cabrillo, given the strong competition in Mejico City and the ideal location for filmmaking. The Mejican Civil War had a profound impact on the development of Mejican cinema, as filmmakers used the opportunity to spread political messages and documenting the conflict; this period also saw the introduction of the phonograph, bringing sounds to audiences for the first time.

The industry enjoyed its golden years in what is commonly referred to as the "Golden Age of Mejican Cinema" from the early sound period in the 1930s through the early 1960s, where the classical Cabrillo cinema style flourished. The period began with the release of the movie Allá en el Rancho Grande (1936), starring Tito Guízar and Esther Fernández, and saw the production of melodramatic and grandiose films, often featuring strong nationalist themes and elaborate production designs. The Golden Age was slightly disturbed by the outbreak of the North American War between Mejico and the neighboring Communard Republic, as the materials used for filmmaking were directed for the production of arms, but soon resumed after the end of the war in 1941, allowing for a resurgence in Mejican cinema. This period saw the rise of multiple stars and iconic figures, such as Humberto Bogaert, Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, María Félix, Cantinflas, Marta Treviño, Manuela de Haro, Dolores del Río, and Crescencio Huízar.

Mejican cinema underwent a period of growth and expansion during the 1960s and 1970s, coupled with government sponsorship of the industry and the creation of provincial-supported film, and with the establishment of television in the Empire, Mejican filmmakers had a new platform to showcase their work and reach a wider audience. The rise of studios such as Hermanos Barrera, Estudios Fox, Mallol-Ybarra-Muñoz, and La Suprema, among others, helped foster the creation of a new wave of filmmakers and actors that experimented with narrative structures, themes, and genres. Directors like Carlos Enrique Taboada, Augusto Becerril, and Ulises Gallegos oversaw the production of films during an era known as "New Mejican Cinema". Later on, during the 1980s and 1990s, New Mejican Cinema reached its prime, as filmmakers had access to technological innovations. Digital soundtracks, stereo sound, computer-generated images, special effects, and advanced graphics enhanced the experiences of Mejican film.

Since the 2000s, Mejican cinema has continued to evolve and make significant contributions to the global film industry. The advent of digital technology and the rise of independent filmmaking have paved the way for a more varied cinematic landscape in the country. Innovative themes and acting styles have emerged, challenging traditional narratives and exploring new avenues of storytelling. On the other hand, computer-generated images and entirely digital films have become increasingly popular, largely displacing the traditional hand-drawn animation that dominated earlier periods.

Mejico not only produces Spanish-language film, which remains nonetheless the largest in the world, but also English-language film. The large Anglophone population of Mejico has allowed Mejico to establish itself as an important player in the English-language film industry. With the presence of major film studios in Cabrillo and the wide availability of actors, directors, and production crews, the country has become a sought-after location for Hoboken productions. Producers from other countries in the Iberoamerican world also frequently choose to film their productions in Mejico. The major film studios of Cabrillo and Churubusco are the primary source of the most commercially successful and most ticket-selling movies in the world.

Mejican cinema is widely varied in its genres, ranging from historical dramas to romantic comedies, action thrillers to horror films, science fiction to musicals, and everything inbetween. Numerous Mejican films are considered by critics to be some of the best films ever made, such as Nerón Mejicano (1939), Los Olvidados (1951), Macario (1960), and Desvelado (1979). Many Mejican directors have gained worldwide fame, such as Arturo Ripstein, Luis Buñuel, Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Apolinar Espígul, and thousands of actors have made their names in Mejican cinema, such as the previously-mentioned figures of the Golden Era, together wtih Angélica María, Leonardo di Caprio, Diego Luna, Tomás Hanks, Gisela Winkelman, Pedro Armendáriz, Ignacio López-Tarso, Alma Beltrán, and Victoria Wyndham.