Lights, camera, action. Right here stands the Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas. It is more than just a film school. It is the oldest film school in Latin America. It is also one of Mexico’s most important institutions for cinematographic education.
Founded in 1963, the Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas began as the Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos. It was born from the impact of the Nouvelle Vague. This French New Wave influenced university film clubs. There was also a desire to revitalize the Mexican film industry.
The Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas aimed for social impact. It fostered critical thinking and independence. It started training filmmakers who have impacted audiovisual media both locally and internationally.
In 1968, students filmed the Mexican student movement. These images became part of the documentary El grito. They became some of the most reproduced images in contemporary Mexican history.
Since 1972, the Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas has belonged to CILECT. That is the International Association of Film and Television Schools. It currently leads the Ibero-American region. This organization includes 131 film schools from 55 countries.
The Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas is also a founder of FEISAL. That is the Federation of Image and Sound Schools of Latin America. This association includes over thirty Latin American film schools.
You cannot explain Mexican cinema of the last forty years without the Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas. In 2006, the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences awarded it the Ariel de Oro. This is the highest honor for a person or institution in Mexican cinema. It recognized the school’s contribution to training Mexican filmmakers.
In 2015, the undergraduate program gained official recognition. A new curriculum allowed students to specialize in nine areas of filmmaking. These areas include fiction direction and documentary direction. They also include animation direction cinematography screenwriting production production design sound and editing.
The Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas is one of the film schools worldwide. It produces a high number of film productions per year. Students create over 30 short films annually. These films equal more than seven feature films in screen time.
Many notable filmmakers have graduated from the Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas. These include Alfonso Cuarón and Emmanuel Lubezki. Others include Jorge Fons and Jaime Humberto Hermosillo. María Novaro and Luis Estrada also studied here.
The Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas has a strong editorial output. It publishes the quarterly journal Estudios Cinematográficos. The journal covers technical aspects teaching research and professional development in filmmaking.
The Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas has shaped Mexican cinema for decades. It continues to train filmmakers. It also contributes to film culture and education.