Severe crackdown on the illegal recording and distribution of Spring Festival cinema movies; 7 movies are included in the protection list

Recently, the Copyright Administration of the Central Propaganda Department, the Film Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department, and the Food and Drug Crime Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security jointly deployed to crack down on the illegal recording and distribution of Spring Festival cinema films. The concentrated action will focus on key cinema films, especially Spring Festival cinema films included in the National Copyright Administration's key works copyright protection warning list. For cases where the rights holders have strong opinions and the social harm is great, heavier penalties will be imposed in accordance with the law.

According to People's Daily Online, in recent years, the illegal and criminal activities of recording cinema films in theaters and distributing them through various channels have continued to occur frequently, which has attracted great attention from the rights holders, the industry and the public. The Copyright Administration of the Central Propaganda Department, the Film Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department, and the Food and Drug Crime Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security jointly deployed a concentrated action to protect the copyright of cinema films, severely cracking down on illegal and criminal activities such as the recording and distribution of cinema films during the Spring Festival, and regulating the copyright order of the film market.

Relevant staff members stated that the act of illegally recording and distributing cinema films not only harms the legitimate rights and interests of the copyright holders of the film works, but also seriously disrupts the copyright order of the film market and affects the healthy development of the film industry.

It is reported that the concentrated action will focus on key cinema films, especially the Spring Festival cinema films included in the National Copyright Administration's key works copyright protection warning list. Through measures such as early warning protection, organization of inspections and monitoring, strengthening clues, close law enforcement cooperation, and strengthening the connection between the two laws, we will severely crack down on infringement and piracy such as sneak shots in theaters and illegal dissemination, dig deep into the source, eliminate gangs, and destroy the network. For cases where the rights holders have strong opinions and the social harm is great, they will be punished severely in accordance with the law. At the same time, we will give full play to the role of cinemas, theaters, network service providers, and industry associations, implement the main responsibilities, strengthen linkage and cooperation, and jointly strengthen the social co-governance system for the protection of cinema film copyrights.

It is reported that since 2019, various places have investigated and dealt with a number of typical cases of pirated recording and distribution of cinema films, including criminal and administrative penalty cases of pirated recording and distribution in cinemas, distribution through operating websites (APPs), and broadcasting in on-demand cinemas. Specifically, they include:

1. The case of Ma Moumou and others in Yangzhou, Jiangsu who illegally recorded and distributed cinema movies.

2. The case of Wang Moumou and others in Pingluo, Ningxia, who illegally recorded and distributed cinema movies.

3. The case of Mr. Fan from Huishui, Guizhou, who illegally recorded and distributed cinema movies.

4. The case of infringement of film copyright by Chen Moumou and others in Beijing.

5. The case of infringement of film copyright by Chen et al. in Shanghai.

6. The case of Wang Moumou and others infringing on film copyright in Fangcheng, Henan.

7. The case of Wu Moumou infringing on film copyright in Lianshui, Jiangsu.

8. The case of Huang et al. infringing on film copyright in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province.

9. A case in which a private cinema in Zhongshan, Guangdong, infringed on film copyright.

10. A case in which a cultural media company in Guangdong infringed on film copyright.

11. The case of Lin Moumou’s infringement of film copyright in Putian, Fujian.

12. The case of Xu from Xi’an, Shaanxi, who illegally recorded and distributed cinema movies.

13. The case of Lei from Xianyang, Shaanxi, who illegally recorded and distributed cinema movies.

14. The case of Lao Moumou and others in Taishan, Guangdong, who illegally recorded and distributed cinema films.

15. The case of Liu and others in Xingguo, Jiangxi, who illegally recorded and distributed cinema films.