Directed by: William K. L. Dickson
The titular performer in this film is a Spanish dancer who would perform at Koster & Bial’s Music Hall in New York City. According to some sources, she is the first woman to appear in a U.S. motion picture.
The 21-second film came under attack by anti-obscenity activists due to provocative tugs at the bottom of her skirt and her ankles being exposed. In some places the film was banned, resulting in one of the earliest examples of censorship in the industry.
Bibliography
IMDb contributors (n.d.). ‘Carmencita (1894)’, IMDb. Available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0000001/ [Accessed: 1 December 2021].
Library of Congress (n.d.). ‘Carmencita’, Library of Congress. Available at: https://www.loc.gov/item/00694116/ [Accessed: 1 December 2021].
Ovalle, P. P. (2011). Dance and the Hollywood Latina: Race, Sex, and Stardom. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.
Waxman, O. B. (2016). ‘This Is What Americans Used to Consider Obscene’, Time, 21 June. Available at: http://time.com/4373765/history-obscenity-united-states-films-miller-ulysses-roth/ [Accessed: 1 December 2021].
Reel Lessons 