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The History of Cinema: 1949

Iran - Uruguay

Italy

Roberto Rossellini begins location shooting on the volcanic island of Stromboli, off the straits of Messina with the cast of Stromboli, which includes Ingrid Bergman and non-actor Mario Vitale. [ADD]

Abel Gance and producer Georges de la Grandière are given a private audience by Pope Pius XII at the Vatican to discuss The Divine Tragedy, their proposed film on the life of Christ. [ADD]

The Andreotti Act, a law initiated by Giulio Andreotti, is passed.   The law taxes film imports to support domestic production; it both increases subsidies and strengthens government control over film censorship. [ADD]

Giuseppe De Santis’ Riso Amaro (Bitter Rice) is released.   The film stars the voluptuous 19-year-old Silvana Mangano. [ADD]

Pier Paulo Pasolini is expelled from the Italian Communist Party for ‘morally and politically unacceptable behaviour’ after the party receive a police report revealing his homosexuality. [ADD]

La Rosa di Bagdad, Italy’s first animated feature, is released. [ADD]

A new quota law comes into effect: cinemas must screen Italian films for a minimum of 80 days a year.   To avoid a proliferation of poor-quality quota quickies, the films must be quality-approved by a quota council.   Qualifying films earn a subsidy of 10% of their gross revenue for five years, while films considered to be of artistic merit receive a further 8%. [ADD]

Japan

– Control of the film industry is handed over to the Independent Motion Picture Code Committee, signalling a return of sword-wielding jidai-geki films. [ADD]

South Korea

– A Woman’s Diary, Koreas first colour film, is released.   It is directed by Hong Seong-gi. [ADD]

Lithuania

– The Lithuanian Republican Newsreel Studio is transferred to Vilnius. [ADD]

Macedonia

– Vardar Film continues to produce a number of documentary films, notably Trajche Popov’s The First Congress of the Communist Party of Macedonia, and Blagoja Drnkov’s 11^th of October. [ADD]

– The Kinotehnika is founded with government backing to maintain cinematographic equipment of production and distribution companies and to produce spare parts for projectors. [ADD]

Mexico

Luis Bunuel’s second Mexican film, El Gran Calavera, is released. [ADD]

A law is introduced to protect the domestic cinema industry by limiting the number of films imported into the country. [ADD]

Myanmar

– Filmmakers capture scenes from the battle for Insein, when Rangoon is under siege from Karen rebels. [ADD]

Norway

– Edith Carlmar’s Døden er et kjærtegn, the first Norwegian film directed by a woman, is released. [ADD] 

– The Association of Norwegian Cinema Managers is founded. [ADD]

– The National Association of Norwegian Cinema Technicians is founded. [ADD]

Pakistan

Nazir’s musical Pheray is released and goes on to become the first Pakistani film to complete a 25-week run at cinemas. [ADD]

Puerto Rico

– Law 372 permits government financing of films with artistic value. [ADD]

South Africa

– Donald Swanson and Eric Rutherford’s Jim Comes to Joburg (AKA African Jim) is released.   Its opening title reads, “The first full length entertainment film to be made in South Africa with an all native cast. It is a simple film and its quaint mixture of the naïve and the sophisticated is a true reflection of the African native in a modern city”. [ADD]

– Pierre De Wet’s Kom saam, vanaand, the country’s first feature-length musical, is released. [ADD]

Sudan

– The government employs a South African to establish a cinematographic section of the department of Public Relations,   He is assisted by two young Sudanese, Kamal Mohammad Ibrahim and Gadalla Gubara. [ADD]

Sweden

– Ingmar Bergman’s Torst (Thirst), starring Eva Henning and Birger Malmsten, is released. [ADD]

Taiwan

– Taiwanese cinema enjoys the start of a period of growth as filmmakers sympathetic to the defeated Chinese Nationalists move to the country. [ADD]

Thailand

– The Asawin Papayan (Asawin Film Company) is established by Prince Panupan Yukon. [ADD]

Turkey

– Lutfi Akad’s debut film, Vurun kahpeye (Strike the Whore) is released. [ADD]

Other Key Films of 1949

Iran

Vareiteh bahar (Parviz Khatibi) [ADD]

North Korea

My Homeland [ADD]

Philippines

Florante at Laura [ADD]

Poland

Skarb (Leonard Buczkowski) [ADD]

Za wami pójda inni (Antoni Bohdziewicz) [ADD]

Serbia

Pionir i devojka (Ljubisa Jocic, Vera Jocic) [ADD]

Slovakia

Certova stena (The Devil’s Wall) (Vaclav Wasserman) [ADD]

South Africa

Sarie Marais [ADD]

Sri Lanka

Amma (Sirisena Wimalaweera) [ADD]

Thailand

Suparb Burut Sua Thai (Thai Gentlemen Fighters) (M.C. Sukrawandit, Tae Prakartwutisan) [ADD]

Uruguay

Detective a contramano (Adolph Fabregat) [ADD]

The History of Cinema: 1949