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The History of Cinema: 1939

Argentina - Macedonia

Argentina

– Manuel Romero’s musical La Vida es un tango is released. [ADD]

– Mario Soffici’s torrid melodrama, Prisioneros de la Tierra, is released.   Francisco Petrone and Angel Magana star. [ADD]

Australia

– The NSW government guarantees bank overdrafts for four feature films. [ADD]

– The Cinesound production company ceases producing films. [ADD]

– Filmmakers suffer a shortage of stock as resources are directed toward the war effort in the form of newsreels and propaganda films. [ADD]

Belgium

31/7 -

Trident publish The History of the Cinematic Art by Carl Vincent, one of the first accounts of the general history of the cinema. [ADD]

Canada

– The National Film Board of Canada is founded as the result of a report presented by John Grierson. [ADD]

– John Grierson becomes Film Commissioner and negotiates with Louis de Rochemont to undertake a joint production called Canada at War. [ADD]

China

– Wancang Bu’s Mulan cong jun (Mulan joins the Army) is released. [ADD]

Finland

– The Suomen Biografiliitto is renamed Suomen Filmikamari (The Finnish Film Chamber). [ADD]

Germany

– Wehr fur IIA 2992?, a fifteen minute thriller is specially made for German television by UFA.   A copy of the film resides in the Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv Koblenz. [ADD]

Hungary

1/1 -

The so-called Jewish Laws come into effect, forcing many Jewish filmmakers out of the profession. [ADD]

– Every film script must be presented to the National Film Committee for approval for financial support. [ADD]

India

May -

The film industry celebrates its silver jubilee with the convening of a Motion Picture Congress, conferences and an exhibition. [ADD]

Macedonia

– Blagoja Drnkov produces two 9.5mm films: The Glider’s Parade, and Bombed Bitola. [ADD]

– The British Paramount News produce a documentary in Macedonia entitled A General View Over Bitola and Yugoslavia. [ADD]

Other Key Films of 1939

Austria

Bel Ami  [ADD]

Canada

The Case of Charlie Gordon (Stuart Legg)  [ADD]

Denmark

Skilsmissens born (Children of Divorce) (Benjamin Christensen) [ADD]

Germany

Drei Unteroffiziere (Werner Hochbaum) [ADD]

Hotel Sacher (Erich Engel) [ADD]

Hungary

Halálos tavasz (Deadly Spring) (László Kalmár) [ADD]

Italy

Batticuore (Mario Camerini) [ADD]

Japan

Zangiku Monogatari (Kenji Mizoguchi) [ADD]

The History of Cinema: 1939