Dolores Ehlers

Dolores Ehlers (October 17, 1896 – December 13, 1983), was a Mexican documentary newsreel filmmaker, film director, cinematographer, businessperson, and educator. She and her sister Adriana Ehlers are pioneers in film, and are thought to be the first female filmmakers in Mexico. They were internationally known for their filmmaking, but were less known as public figures within Mexico. They had a filmmaking supply business out of their home, called Casa Ehlers; and worked for the federal government of Mexico to establish the Department of Cinematography. She is also known as Dolores Elhers.

Early life Dolores Ehlers was born on October 17, 1896 in the city of Veracruz, Mexico. She grew up during the time of the Mexican Revolution. She lost her father at a young age, and her mother earned money for the family with a job as a midwife. Due to economic problems within the family, she left school early.

They received an extension of their travel scholarship, allowing them to study motion picture cinematography. They went to work for the Army Medical Museum in Washington D.C.. The government had given the museum money to make films to teach American soldiers of World War I about health issues. The Ehlers sisters learned a lot about making films, including recording and developing images. Ultimately, they were both able to complete their studies at the Universal Pictures Company in Jacksonville, New Jersey. La industria del petróleo (1920) Un passé en tranvía en la ciudad de México (1920) Real España vs. Real Madrid (1921) Postal service in Mexico (1921) Museo de Arqueología (1921) Las pirámides de Teotihuacán (1921)