Kinematograph year book (1939)

The Year Abroad, 25 Telefongyar R.T. (maximum capability 150 per year), which will also issue 30 programmes annually at only 35 pengos each, including the compulsory Hungarian newsreel. Owing to the popularity of Hungarian-speaking pictures regardless of their quality, particularly in the provinces, the crisis in the domestic production caused at the end of 1937 by the failure oi speculators who made films without possessing adequate experience and financial means, has been overcome, so that the number of 32 features produced in 1938 is only slightly behind that of the peak year 1937 (34 Hungarian plus four German versions). On the other hand, much disturbance is caused by the establishment at the end of 1938 of National Press and Theatre Chambers, the latter divided into a stage and a film section ; membership is compulsory, and participation of Jews can be limited below the 20 per cent, prescribed for all other spheres of the country's economic life ; the enforcement by both Chambers of a 6 to 8 per cent. Jewish quota has already led to the suppression of most film papers and is threatening with elimination a considerable number of producers and distributors. Quota and Import Regulations. — -For the 1938-39 season the exhibitors' quota was again fixed at 20 per cent, of Hungarian speaking features (over 1,200 metres in length) made in Hungary, half of which can consist of foreign films dubbed within the country. Import regulations are unchanged. Censorship and Taxation. — Censorship fees remain unchanged ; of the three instances of appeal, the final one is the Ministry of the Interior. Foreign films, to avoid their rejection after the cost of subtitling has been incurred, can be submitted to a preliminary supervision at a charge of 10 pengos per metre. A special censorial visa is required for domestic films to be exported. The municipal entertainments tax ranges from 4 to 6 per cent, on gross receipts m Eudapest and from 5 to 15 per cent, in the provinces, and is reduced generally by about 50 per cent, between May 1 and September 30 ; in addition, kinemas are assessed a 3 per cent, turnover tax by the State. ITALY. Legislation and Organisation. — Of the regulations issued by the controlling organ of the film industry, the Direzione Generale per la Cinematografia, working under the Ministry for Press and Propaganda, the most important ones affecting exhibition pertain to the following : a quota of one Italian feature for every two foreign ones with a minimum of five domestic films to be screened during each quarter of a year; singing sequences excepted, foreign-language films can only be exhibited in an Italian-speaking version dubbed in Italy, and foreign-made Italian-speaking films exceeding 500 metres in length are excluded from being shown ; each programme must contain an official newsreel made by State-owned Istituto Nazionale Luce ; a special ministerial permit is needed for the opening of a new hall. The system of subsidising domestic producers was altered ( 1 ) by abolishing the payment of advances to be refunded out of eventual profits, which method has caused the Exchequer to lose about 80 per cent, of the moneys thus invested, and (2) by issuing a new regulation concerning awards of cash prizes, which, to eliminate small production enterprises, will henceforth only be granted to those of a continuous character and possessing a capital of at least 500,000 lire. The export of Italian films is now concentrated with the official U.N.E.P. (Unione Nazionale Exportazione Pellicoli), which has established offices in various foreign film centres. Several important theatre chains were acquired