Montenegro (from June 2006)

[ME] New Law on Cinematography Aiming to Improve Film Industry

IRIS 2014-3:1/34

Vojislav Raonic

KRUG Communications & Media, Montenegro

Montenegro is in process of introducing a new Law on Cinematography intended to provide additional funding to domestic film productions, improving respective copyright protection, and preserving national cinematographic heritage.

According to the Draft Law, one of the most important changes to the existing law would be the establishment of the Film Fund, which shall be financed from several sources; namely, shares of the annual profit of:

1. public service and commercial broadcasters with national coverage (1%);

2. cable, satellite and Internet access providers (2%);

3. organisers of games of chance and entertainment (1%);

4. operators of public communications networks (0.2%);

5. providers of on-demand audiovisual media services (3%).

The Ministry of Culture, in charge of regulating the institutional framework of the Montenegrin film industry, proposed that additional to the abovementioned funding, 5 % of each sold cinema ticket should go to the newly established Film Fund.

The ongoing public discussion has showed disagreement between Montenegrin filmmakers who strongly support the Draft and the institutions required to contribute to the Film Fund. Montenegrin Internet access providers rejected the Draft Law as unjustified and claim that the provision of Internet access does not automatically imply access to cinematographic works. Numerous other complains addressed to the Ministry during the public discussion period concerned the level of the proposed fees.

Article 12 of the Draft Law also establishes the Film Centre of Montenegro. The major task of this public institution is supposed to be the promotion of domestic films to the foreign public and the participation in international programmes.

According to UNESCO statistics, Montenegrin film production lags behind other South Eastern European countries. The newly proposed legislation is expected to improve the situation in this domain. The Draft Law on Cinematography will be on the agenda of Montenegrin Parliament in the first quarter of the 2014.


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This article has been published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory.