page_title: Cinema of Colombia
section_title: First years
hierarchical_section_title: Cinema of Colombia / History / First years
context_page_description: Cinema of Colombia refers to the film industry based in Colombia. Colombian cinema began in 1897 and has included silent films, animated films and internationally acclaimed films. Government support included an effort in the 1970s to develop the state-owned Cinematographic Development Company which helped produce some films yet struggled to maintain itself financially viable. FOCINE became defunct in 1993. In 1997 the Colombian congress approved Law 397 of Article 46 or the General Law of Culture with the purpose of supporting the development of the Colombian film industry by creating a film promotion mixed fund called Corporación PROIMAGENES en Movimiento. In 2003 Congress also approved the Law of Cinema which helped to restart the cinematographic industry in Colombia.
context_section_description: Soon after the introduction of the cinematographe in Colombia, the country entered a civil war known as the Thousand Days' War causing the suspension of all film production. The first films usually portrayed nature and moments of the Colombian everyday life. The exhibition of these films was dominated by the Di Domenico brothers who owned the Salón Olympia in Bogotá. The Di Domenico Brothers also produced the first film documentary in Colombia called El drama del quince de Octubre (The Drama of October the fifteenth) which was intended to celebrate the centenary of the Battle of Boyacá and also narrated the assassination of General Rafael Uribe Uribe, provoking controversy upon its release.
caption: Photogram of the film Bajo el Cielo Antioqueño (1924–1925)
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