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The History of Cinema: 1948

Albania - Jamaica

Albania

– The country’s first newsreels are shown. [ADD]

Bulgaria

– The Bulgarian State Film Industry establishes a department of cartoon and puppet films. [ADD]

China

– Mu Fei’s Xiao cheng zhi chun (Spring in a Small Town) is released.   In 2002 it will be voted the greatest Chinese-language film of all time by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society. [ADD]

Colombia

– Camilo Correa and Charles Riou film the 9^th of April riots in Bogota. [ADD]

Czechoslovakia

Feb -

The film industry is nationalised by the Communist government. [ADD]

Jul -

The first Congress of the World Union of Documentary takes place at Mariánské Lázne (Marienbad).   Representatives from France (Henri Langlois), Hungary, Netherlands (Joris Ivens), Poland, UK (Basil Wright) and Yugoslavia are present. [ADD]

Finland

– The Association of Mobile Cinemas is founded. [ADD]

Germany

– Approximately 70% of films exhibited in the American sector of Germany are produced in Hollywood. [ADD]

Holland

– The Nederland Filminstituut (Dutch Film Institute) is founded. [ADD]

Hong Kong

– Madame Butterfly, the first Cantonese colour film, is released by Grandview studios. [ADD] 

India

– Raj Kapoor launches RK Films.   Its first film, Aag, starring Kapoor and Nargis is released in August. [ADD]

– Nehru announces a freeze on the construction of cinemas in the country. [ADD]

– Chitrabani, the first Bengali film monthly is published. [ADD]

Iran

– Toofan-e-Zendegi, the first film produced by Esmail Kooshan’s Mitra Film is released.   It is directed by Ali Daryabegi, a theatre director with no experience of directing films. [ADD]

Italy

2/11 -

Roberto Rossellini’s L’Amore is released.   The film, which stars Federico Fellini and Anna Magnani, is in two parts: The Human Voice by Jean Cocteau, and The Miracle, based on an idea by Fellini. [MORE] 

24/11 -

Vittorio de Sica’s neo-realist Ladri di Biciclette (Bicycle Thief) is released.   Reflecting the desperate poverty of the times, it tells the simple tale of a working man’s search for his stolen bike, without which he is unable to work.   Non-actors Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola as his son help add to the air of realism. [ADD]

1/12 -

Roberto Rossellini’s Germania, anno zero (Germany, Year Zero) is released.  Set in post-war Berlin, it tells the tale of a 12-year-old boy driven to desperate measures to ease the burden suffered by his family. [ADD]

Jamaica

– The local government passes the Motion Picture Industry Encouragement Act. [ADD]

Other Key Films of 1948

Andorra

Six cles des trois Vallées [ADD]

China

Wanjia denghuo (Myriads of Lights) (Fu Shen) [ADD]

India

Ajit (Mohan Dayaram Bhavnani) [ADD]

Chandralekha (S. S. Vasan) [ADD]

Kalpana (Uday Shankar) [ADD]

Sabyasachi (Agradoot) [ADD]

Shaheed (Ramesh Saigal) [ADD]

Iran

Zendani-e-Amir (Amir's Prisoner) (Eshmail Kooshan) [ADD]

Mexico

Los tres huastecos (Ismael Rodriguez) [ADD]

Ustedes los ricos (Ismael Rodriguez) [ADD]

Poland

Stalowe serca (Stanislaw Urbanowicz) [ADD]

Serbia

Besmrtna mladost (Immortal Youth) (Vojislav Nanovic) [ADD]

Sofka (Rados Novakovic) [ADD]

Zivot je nas (Life is Ours) (Gustav Gavrin) [ADD]

Slovenia

Na svoji zemlji (On Our Own Land) (France Stiglic) [ADD]

Spain

Locura de amor (Juan de Orduña) [ADD]

Syria

Al Sadaka al fazzah (Fierce Friendship) (Ayoub Badry) [ADD]

Uruguay

Así te deseo (Belisario García Villar) [ADD]

Esta tierra es mia (Joaquin Martinez Arboleya) [ADD]

Pupila al viento (Enrico Gras) [ADD]

Vietnam

Trận Mộc Hóa (Mộc Hóa Battle) [ADD]

The History of World Cinema: 1948