THE FIRST CINEMAS IN SAN FELIX AND PUERTO ORDAZ.

Abstract

This article presents a different narrative to the story told from the industrial point of view; reconstructing the collective memory referred to the cinemas of Ciudad Guayana, shows another perspective of the development of the city and the way of life of its inhabitants. It deals with part of the history of the exhibition spaces that appeared in the territories that today make up Ciudad Guayana during the period of time that goes from 1928 to 1955; taking as a starting point the first remembered cinematographic projection in San Félix (1928) and as an arrival point the inauguration of the first formal cinema in the new city of Puerto Ordaz (1955). The information was obtained through personal interviews with those who were linked to them, complemented with other documents and previous research that deal with the city. In the collective memory the idea persists that here there was nothing else to do than go to the cinema; Despite the existence of other recreational activities such as reading clubs, dance clubs, and sports tournaments, the cinema remained an important cultural gathering activity. It is possible that this belief has to do with the fact that other means of communication, such as radio and television, arrived too late; the first radio station was installed in 1966 and television arrived in 1972 with a delayed signal, making the cinema king in terms of media entertainment. Even today, going to the movies is still one of the main recreational activities for various groups of Guayacitanos. Initiatives by citizens seeking to rescue “dream” spaces such as the Centro Cívico cinema, more than 50 years after its foundation, are a tangible example of the importance conferred on this activity.

Keywords: Cinema, Ciudad Guayana, 20th century, ways of life.