Colonial Documentary during Francoism: the case of Hermic Films

Dublin Core

Title

Colonial Documentary during Francoism: the case of Hermic Films

Subject

Colonial Film and Photographic Culture during Francoism

Description

Hermic Films, founded in 1940 by Manuel Hernández Sanjuán, played a crucial role as an ideological tool of imperial propaganda during Franco's regime, similar to the colonial science promoted by the Instituto de Estudios Africanos. Known for its extensive production of over 200 short films, predominantly documentaries, Hermic Films contributed significantly to the regime's narrative of empire and colonialism. In 1944, under the direction of General José Díaz de Villegas, the company embarked on a major project to document Spanish Guinea. This mission, carried out between 1944 and 1946, resulted in over 5,000 photographs and thirty-one documentary films.

According to Alba Valenciano Mañé and Francesca Bayre, these films were more than mere recordings; they were designed to present an idealized vision of Spanish colonial efforts, showcasing the supposed benefits of Spanish rule and the exoticism of African territories. Exhibited in 1946 at Madrid's Palacio de la Música, the documentaries aimed to foster domestic support for colonial policies and to portray a stable, prosperous empire.

Hermic Films, like the Instituto de Estudios Africanos, played a vital role in justifying and maintaining Spain's colonial presence through controlled representations of colonial life. By shaping public perception and reinforcing the narrative of a civilizing mission, Hermic Films helped fortify the cultural and ideological underpinnings of the regime. Their work was instrumental in crafting a sanitized image of colonialism that aligned with the imperialist and nationalist ethos of the time, making Hermic Films a key player in the cultural perpetuation of colonial ideology.

Creator

Alexis Hernando Cubas

Source

Elena, Alberto. "Spanish Colonial Cinema: Contours and Singularities". Joumal of Film Preservation 63 (2001): 29-35.

Landau, Paul S. Introducción. "An amazing distance: pictures and Empires: Visuality in Colonial and Postcolonial Africa . Ed. Kaspin, Berkeley: U of California

Mañé, Alba Valenciano, and Francesca Bayre. “Cuerpos Naturales, Mentes Coloniales: Las Imágenes de Hermic Films En La Guinea Española.” Afro-Hispanic Review, vol. 28, no. 2, 2009, pp. 245–68. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41349287. Accessed 22 July 2024.

Ortín, Pere y Pereira, Vic. M bini: Cazadores de imágenes en la Guinea colonial. Barcelona: Altair, 2006.

Nerín, Gustau. Guinea Ecuatorial: Historia en blanco y negro. Barcelona: Península, 1997.

Nerín, Gustau, y Alfred Bosch. El imperio que nunca existió. Barcelona: Plaza, 2001.

Publisher

Archivo Hermic Films. Colección Filmoteca Española.

Date

1940-1977

Rights

Colección Filmoteca Española

Relation

Hernández-Sanjuán, Manuel. Bajo la lámpara de bosque. 1946 (serie La Guinea Española 71) M bini: Cazadores de imágenes en la Guinea colonial Ed. Pere Ortín, Vic Pereiro. Barcelona: Altair, 2006.

Format

Visual Archive

Language

Spanish

Type

Film and photography

Coverage

Spain, Equatorial Guinea

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Visual Archive