Dolores Belio García was a foremother of Spanish cinematography, notable for her multidisciplinarianism encompassing fields such as the production of wax figures and music.

She was born to the Aragonese family Belio García, and worked as an entrepreneur and cinematic precursor with her brothers Mariano and Manuel. In 1982, we see news of her establishing a theatre of wax figures – to commemorate the discovery of the Americas – in the Plaza Portal of the Pau neighbourhood of Barcelona. In addition to the production of wax figures, Dolores Belio performed works of musical accompaniment during functions, mastering the piano, harp and accordion. Following the fire suffered by her theatre in 1893, the family rented out a nearby barracks, which she rechristened Columbus Cinema, acquiring two Lumière machines. Their greatest period of success in the sphere of production and distribution would arrive in 1904, when they moved to the centre of the Rambla dels Caputxins neighbourhood, founding the Belio-Graff Cinema, which also offered concerts thanks to its Orchestrion. In 1906, the opening of a new headquarters in Passeig de Gràcia consolidated her business in the city, which had exclusive distribution rights to the films of Pathé.

MAE, Óscar Palomares Navarro, 2020