Association to protect cinema and television works set up

Actress Hoàng Hồng Nhị in a scene in the film Em Còn Nhớ Hay Em Đã Quên — Photo thegiodienanh.vn

People’s ArtistsĐặng Xuân Hải, chairman of Việt Nam Cinema Association, led the charge to set up the association and said violations of copyright in the local cinema and television field are common.

“The problem has not been properly treated, which has caused harm to authors and copyright owners,” he said.

“One mission of the new association is protecting the legal rights and benefits of members through implementing controlling author’s rights and ownership to cinema and television works following the law and the Việt Nam Cinema Association’s regulations.”

The congress held in the capital on Tuesday voted in a 15-member executive board for the 2019 – 2024 term, including five deputy chairmen. The association does not have a chairman. Đặng Xuân Hải was voted as the general secretary.

According to the first term plan, besides professional activities, the association will work to receive authorisation for managing, protecting and exploiting the copyright of cinema and television works; on using images of members; and discuss giving permission to collect and divide profits from the use of works by members.

Hải said the association aims to not only protect members but also ensure a healthy environment for exchanging and co-operating in the industry.

Actor Quyền Linh said he and other artists have prepared for the birth of the association for several years now.

“Not only cinema and television works but also short film and web dramas published on Facebook or YouTube have been widely stolen. Though they (artists) registered their copyright, their works have been violated. They have raised their voices but no one answers to protect or sue the violators. For the past six years, Hải has connected artists throughout the country to set up the association,” Linh said.

The association will work with film studios and artists to devise the association’s regulations.

Linh said members will fund the association’s activities to help it become a spiritual fulcrum for cinema and television lovers.

“I decided that cinema and television is my home,” Linh said. “That’s why I have been active in many projects with the hope to make much contributions to Vietnamese cinema for the next generations."

People’s Artist, director Nguyễn Hữu Phần highly appreciated the association, and said he has fought a lot to protect his copyright over the years. He said after screening his film Em Còn Nhớ Hay Em Đã Quên (Do You Still Remember?) in 30 cinemas in HCM City in 1992, he then sold copyright to provinces. But then his film was stolen.

“I could not claim back the copyright when the film was stolen, even though I had registered copyright for the film,” he said.

Phần, who has also worked with foreign partners, said foreign companies have clear contracts on the benefits of the author after two, five and 10 years.

“Though I’m wondering a bit whether the association will work well, I really hope it will strictly follow the law and protect members’ rights,” he said.