International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1932)

— 461 — reduction of customs duties on these films, many more do not, making no distinction between theatrical and educational films. To promote universal culture and education in a truly efficient manner, the educational film should benefit from a universal and uniform, international fiscal regime. It is difficult to conceive that certain countries should willingly admit films which may instruct their people whilst others should as jealously exclude them. Nor can this be attributed to a desire to protect the national production, for those countries which produce the greatest number of educational films are perhaps the readiest to allow foreign films to cross their frontiers. In any case, these questions will be solved at an international conference. A positive solution must inevitably stimulate educational cinema production. The necessity for a solution of fiscal difficulties is seconded by the necessity for a clear distinction from a cinematographic point of view between the theatrical and educational films. The theatrical film is characterized by a certain artistic merit sometimes which, if it does not exactly ennoble the material of these films it at least makes it palatable to the spectator. When the theatrical film leaves the realm of pure fiction to seek material in history, science and art, it enters in some degree in the domain of the educational film. The question is then whether on the whole the educational elements in the film dominate the dramatic elements or whether the latter simply use the former as a background. The purely cultural film, that which is of special interest to us, is an appreciable means of progress and a considerable factor of intellectual life. It is incontestably, a means of knowledge and persuasion, amongst the most powerful that we possess, without other limits than those of the scientific and technical progress of humanity. The educational film cannot depend upon a powerful commercial organization for its strength, as can the theatrical film and there fore it is only by fiscal measures that the production of educational films can be effectively encouraged by rendering them reasonably profitable. To-day in all countries stress is laid on the progress of the cinema generally and the necessity for relieving the industry from a portion of the heavy taxation which is at present levied upon it. But if such measures are to be taken, it is evident that the educational film should come first as it has not the same initial commercial advantages as other films, which will always feel taxation more lightly on account of their immense circulation and high profits. It is only by such financial encouragement that the producer (the amateur through lack of means can never fulfill other than a supplementary function) can be expected to produce educational films commercially. Even if the educational film may in some cases cost less per metre to produce than the theatrical film this is not the case with scientific films which are often extremely costly to make and to present. Another point to be considered in the application of all systems of detaxation and import franchise is that of the exact definition of an educational film and hence of the film which is to benefit under these systems. This is at present being considered carefully by the I. I. E. C. with reference to the coming international convention. According to the fundamental principles beneath the various systems, the films shown should be films of civic education, national propaganda and general culture. Actually in practice, news reels and all documentaries are included under a cultural heading. From this it is obvious that the original idea has been considerably deformed little by little for many news reels contain elements which are distinctly anticultural or at least without cultural value. Consequently, in the system incorporating obligatory projection, the competent authorities should recall the original principles of the system to the organisations concerned. News reels should not simply form a side