Unions: Foundation of the Mexican Film Industry

This article examines the relationship between the Mexican government and cinema unions between the 1910s and 1944. I show how unions influenced the creation and dissemination of a national identity in film through strikes and contract negotiations. To that end, I analyze the history of cinema unions in Mexico and then examine the conflict between two major groups within the cinema unions-the actors and technical workers-and its impact on the film industry. The article also examines how the government negotiated with the unions and argues that unions influenced the film industry and censorship through debates and compromises with government officials.