Golden Age of Mexican Cinema

The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema (Spanish: Época de Oro del Cine Mexicano) is a boom period in the history of Mexican cinema, which began in 1936 with the premiere of the film Allá en el Rancho Grande, and culminated in 1956.

In 1939, during World War II, the film industry in the US and Europe declined, because the materials previously destined for film production now were for the new arms industry. Many countries began to focus on making films about war, leaving an opportunity for Mexico to produce commercial films for the Mexican and Latin American markets. This cultural environment favored the emergence of a new generation of directors and actors still considered icons in Mexico and in other Hispanic countries.

Mexican cinema of the Golden Age is also credited with propelling Norteño music into Chilean popular culture.