The Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (, AMACC) is a professional honorary organization founded on July 3, 1946, in Mexico City to promote the dissemination, research, preservation, development, and defense of the cinematographic arts and sciences. Currently, the president of the AMACC is producer Mónica Lozano Serrano. The AMACC is committed to making Mexican cinema known and valued in Mexico and abroad. It organizes meetings between filmmakers, annually rewards the films exhibited during each year, in addition to publishing books that talk about the development of the Mexican film industry, and participates in the conservation of cinematographic works in Mexico. At the same time, it defends the creative and labor freedom of Mexican filmmakers from censorship and labor grievances. The AMACC is endorsed by the cinematographic trajectory of its members and by their willingness to selflessly defend the present and the future of Mexican cinema. History The following people were present before a notary public during the signing of the document: Celestino Gorostiza, screenwriter and director Felipe Gregorio Castillo, cinematographer Raúl de Anda, producer Carlos Carriedo Galván, lawyer César Santos Galindo, lawyer Fernando Soler, actor Manuel Fontanals, scenographer Ignacio Fernández Esperón “Tata Nacho”, composer Eduardo Hernández Moncada, pianist and composer Oswaldo Diaz Rúanova, journalist Fernando Morales Ortiz, journalist Eugenio Maldonado, lawyer José María Sánchez García, journalist Antonio Castro Leal, lawyer Adela Formoso de Obregón Santacilia film instructor Carlos Pellicer, screenwriter Alejandro Galindo, director and screenwriter Juán Manuel Torrea Jorge Fernández, scenographer Francisco de P. Cabrera, producer Ángel Garasa Bergés, actor Adolfo Fernández Bustamante, director Gabriel Figueroa cinematographer, among others. This was a moment where the movie industry in Mexico was going through its peak. The year before, alone, 85 movies had been made, a record figure even today. The purpose of creating the Academy was to promote advancements in the arts and sciences of film-making, as well as to give public recognition and to outstanding film productions and promote future research. In practice, however, most of the efforts of the Academy went on to recognize the best films with its award: the Ariel. Every year, from 1947 to 1958, the Ariel was awarded. After 1958 the number of productions fell considerably and it was not until 1972 when the ceremony was held again, and it has every year until the present year. Current Administration Members Active members Mónica Lozano Serrano Marina Stavenhagen Vargas Flavio González Mello Rodrigo Herranz