page_title: Culture of California
section_title: Film
hierarchical_section_title: Culture of California / Arts / Film
caption_attribution_description: Hollywood SignHollywood Sign
context_page_description: The culture of California is tied to the culture of the United States as a whole. However, there are features that are unique to California. With roots in the cultures of Spain, Asia, Mexico, and the eastern United States, California integrates foods, languages and traditions from all over the world.
  Spain had explored the present state of California since the 16th century, although it did not colonize it and exert its cultural influence in earnest until the 18th century. By the 19th century, Spain had built missions throughout all the state and California owned huge land extensions. From that time to the present, Hispanic Californians have always been among the largest cultural groups in the state. Furthermore, Mexican immigration into California has also resulted in a large share of cultural contributions.
  California culture has also been greatly influenced by African Americans as well as other large populations, especially immigrant groups from East Asia and Latin America. California is a true melting pot as well as an international gateway to the United States.
context_section_description: California is home to Hollywood (a district of Los Angeles), the center of the American film industry, which has given rise to the popular fashion movie-star image and stereotypical life styles such as beach-dwelling surfers.
  Hollywood has had a profound effect on culture all across the world since the early 20th century.
  During the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood, which lasted from the end of the silent era in American cinema in the late 1920s to the late 1950s, thousands of movies were released from Hollywood studios. Spectacular epics, which took advantage of new widescreen processes from the 1950s, have become increasingly popular. 
  Today, in spite of fierce competition from other countries and even other states within the US, California still dominates the industry.
caption: The American Film industry.
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