Cinema in Durango turns 70; this was the first film

It all began when Durango naturally “dressed” itself in western style, attracting the attention of large productions in this style

There is no specific day to celebrate the history of cinema in Durango, but there is a year that sets the tone, and it was in 1954 that the first film was filmed in Durango territory – also known as the land of cinema – precisely. Thus, it is in this 2024 that it reaches seven decades of being a setting for films, series, and more. Javier Guerrero, historian, believes that the celebration of cinema in Durango could be at the beginning or at the end of the filming of the first film, which occurred from July 20 to September 14, 1954.

It all began when Durango naturally “dressed” itself in the western style, attracting the attention of large productions under this style.

Due to its geographical location, at the foot of the Sierra Madre, the canyons that form there, when descending from the mountain range, and the plains, the reliz and so on, the landscape is achieved that takes those present to the old cinematic west, explained the historian Javier Guerrero Romero for El Sol de Durango, when referring to the history of Chupaderos, a literal town, straight out of a movie!, located approximately 35 minutes from the Historic Center of Durango.

And it is precisely this place that is the preamble to cinema in Durango, because: “Chupaderos was a hacienda that emerged from the colonial era, San Vicente de Chupaderos was called because on its banks there were some springs, or well, water springs, where animals came to drink water, that is why it is called Chupaderos. The animals came there to drink water.”

There, taking advantage of those springs, the Hacienda de San Vicente de Chupaderos was born in the 18th century, as a cattle ranch, with large pastures of Los Llanos, and with those springs.

This is how the first filming took place, after this space and others caught the eye of foreigners, who bet on the beauty of Durango.

…“Pluma blanca”, the first film made in Durango

According to Guerrero Romero, the characteristics of Chupaderos caused that in 1954, when the first scouting was done to determine where to film “Pluma blanca” -the first film of the second era of industrial cinema-, this place was chosen.

“They realize that this great canyon that is formed in Chupaderos, the large pastures, the rocks, and everything, create the ideal place to film a film that has to do with the west, that can situate the American west and that is here a few kilometers from the city of Durango.”

According to the synopsis on the web, this film takes place at the end of the Indian Wars, with tribes ready to make peace, although at that time the old chief has not made up his mind. Then an American appears on the scene, befriends the chief and falls in love with his daughter; this presents a very interesting aspect of Indian life and customs. Finally the old chief decides to accept peace rather than make war, but his son and others defy the troops and are killed.

Source: elsoldedurango