Femininity and constructing national identity in Spanish postwar cinema, 1939-1945 examines the representation of female characters in Spanish films from the end of the Civil War to the end of World War II. Rather than an analysis that falls strictly within the genre of film studies, this work incorporates the political, social, and financial maneuverings of those who worked behind the scenes in producing these films. The goal is to provide a more accurate picture of how the Spanish film industry projected ideals of femininity in the immediate postwar years, including the erasure of female heroism in times of crisis. It focuses on the struggles between producers, directors, and the censorship board; the impact of specific historical circumstances on film production; how emerging directors tailored their films to garner official support; and the interactions between Hollywood and Spanish cinema.