One of the early laws regarding films stated that "the motion picture must become a real fighting assistant of the party and the government and be an ardent agitator and propagator of the government policy." The focus of the industry was to be placed on the building of socialism while increasing the country's bonds with the Soviet Union. Early legislation stated that "Soviet films gave immense educational influence and mobilized action and conscious participation in the building of socialism for still greater friendship with the Soviet Union." This emphasis on the relationship with the Soviet Union was not only ideological. Soviet films also represented approximately 87 percent of the films shown in Bulgaria from 1945 to 1956, and the Bulgarian film industry was in large part assisted by its film counterpart in the Soviet Union. The film industry expanded quickly under the new government. There were 187 films produced in 1960 (see table 15). By 1965 there were approximately 2,000 motion picture houses, roughly 83 percent of which were in the villages. _Table 15. Bulgaria, Films Produced and Translated, Selected Years, 1939-71_ -------------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------- | 1939 | 1948 | 1960 | 1971 -------------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------- Full length | 3 | ... | 11 | 18 Art | (3) | ... | (10) | (16) Documentary | ... | ... | (1) | (2) Television | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 Short and medium length | ... | 19 | 110 | 252 Documentary | ... | (15) | (36) | (60) Popular science | ... | (4) | (32) | (61) Technical education | ... | ... | (16) | (21) Animated | ... | ... | (8) | (16) Propaganda | ... | ... | (18) | (94) Previews | ... | 53 | 66 | 58 | --- | --- | --- | --- TOTAL | 3 | 72 | 187 | 347 -------------------------+--------+--------+--------+------- In mid-1973 information on the film industry indicated that the production, distribution, importation, exportation, and exhibition of films were still controlled by the Bulgarian Cinematography Association. This agency was subdivided into three sections: the chief studio at the Bulyana film center where feature films and cartoons were produced; a second studio that produced documentary shorts and popular science films for schools; and a third studio that specialized in newsreels.