In the 1940s, the golden age of Mexican cinema had its great moment because Hollywood, the titan of American entertainment, was severely affected by the conflict of World War II. With limited resources to produce, the Mexican film industry was able to export its products to different audiences around the world and grow as never before.

As a result, this industry became one of the most important in the country at that time, and it was necessary to invest in machinery, technology, the formation of a community of experts and technicians to work in filmmaking, film distribution, production and, of course, adequate spaces for filming and production. As a result, during the 1940s, some of the most important film studios in the city were built: Estudios Tepeyac, CLASA and Estudios Cuauhtémoc/América.

Tepeyac Film Studios

Tepeyac Studies, 1945. INAH Media Library.

The land near the Villa during the first years of the twentieth century became one of the most exclusive areas of the CDMX. Lindavista sought to position itself as a small Beverly Hills with the construction of large houses in the Californian style, so many of the movie stars of the time such as Pedro Infante, María Félix and Ignacio López Tarso lived in the area. The next logical step was to build movie studios there, so in 1946 the Tepeyac Studios were inaugurated in what today are the Talleres Ticomán Del Metro. They closed their doors in 1957 but around 150 films were shot there, including 'La Oveja Negra' and Luis Buñuel's classic, 'Los Olvidados'.

Interior of a 'catholic temple', Estudios Tepeyac, 1950. INAH Media Library.

Buildings of Estudios Tepeyac, 1945. INAH Media Library.

Recording at Estudios Tepeyac, 1945. INAH Media Library.

CLASA Studios

Courtyard of the CLASA Studios, 1945. INAH Media Library.

Under the influence of Hollywood and its star system, Salvador Elizondo Pani, father of writer Salvador Elizondo, created in 1935 the company Cinematográfica Latinoamericana S.A. or CLASA studios. In the south of Mexico City, at the intersection of División del Norte and Calzada de Tlalpan, the most modern and best-equipped film studios of the time were installed, producing most of the films of Fernando de Fuentes, Luis Buñuel, Emilio El Indio Fernández, Julio Bracho, Alejandro Galindo and Juan Bustillo Oro, some of the most important directors of the time. In 1946 they were bought by the government and in 1957 they closed definitively.

Corridors of the CLASA film studios in San Ángel, 1950. INAH Media Library.

Recording at CLASA Studios, 1946. INAH Media Library.

Cuauhtémoc/América Studios

In the south of the CDMX there were also the Cuauhtémoc Studios, founded in 1945 by the French producer Henri A. Lube, and General Juan G. Valdés and unlike the previous ones, these film studios were modest, only 8 films were shot in them. Later, in 1957, when the golden age of Mexican cinema was over, these studios were bought and transformed into Estudios América, where in addition to having 6 forums, dubbing and projection rooms, they even had a developing service. In this stage of the studios, films such as 'El topo' by Alejandro Jodorowsky and 'Alucarda' by Juan López Moctezuma were filmed.

Churubusco Studios construction offices, 1944. INAH Media Library.

At that time, the well-known Churubusco Studios also stood out and are still in operation today. However, both CLASA, Cuauhtémoc and Tepeyac, played an important role at the time by exporting what could have been a very successful entertainment industry in Mexico.