International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1932)

796 ality after the approval of the film by the censorship commission. Minors. — Children of less than five years are not admitted to any spectacle whatsoever, while children of less than ten are not permitted to go to evening performances. During the afternoon performances, to which minors are admitted, the programme must only contain films which have as their aim the moral and spiritual improvement of children. In order to establish the age of children, the regulations concede the amplest powers to the police, the superintendents and to the doctors attached to public halls and theatres. Puniskments — The censors must exercise care that the projections are made in accordance with the orders emanated, and that all the regulations are duly respected. They have authority to invoke the aid of the police to enforce their decisions. Fines can be levied to the amount of 10 and 100 colons for the first offence, and double these amounts for subsequent in fractions of the rules. G. DE F. MEXICO AND HER FISCAL SYSTEM FOR FILMS A decree published April 20 last in Mexico regulating the country's customs dues in the matter of films is sufficiently important to merit mention. The decree in its scant wordage deals briefly with the matter. It establishes the following customs dues in substitution of those previously existing : Sound films in Spanish, from 12 to 17 to 20 piastres, according to the case ; Sound films in other languages than Spanish, from 35 to 45 to 75 piastres, according to the case ; Discs for Spanish sound films, 5 piastres. Moreover, if the importer is a producer (that is in case of a Mexican branch office of a firm of producers) he will pay the minimum fee. If the importer is not a producer (this fact is to be proved by a certificate issued by the government authority of the country whence the film comes) he will pay a higher duty. There are other interesting regulations. The tendency of the dispositions in the decree is quite clear. Protection in the highest degree for non-American films and favoured treatment, both directly and indirectly, for the national production. The regulations, in view of which a diminution of duty in the case of importer-pro ducers, is made, shows the clearest desire to impede as far as possible film producers (especially American) setting up establishments or branch factories in Mexico. Is thde any danger for the European film industry to be seen in the decree ? None, for the moment, as the Bulletin de la Chambre Syndicate Francaise (No. 94 of September 15, 1932) points out, in view of the fact that the taste of the Mexican public has shown no partiality for the European type of film. As to the future, the case is different. When European firms have produced in a more or less distant future some good films, they will find the Mexican market practically closed to them. This is a form of protection which is as good as any quota system, and shows once again that if the influence of the principle of nationality has its political value, it is also a grave danger for trade in general. All countries, without distinction or regard for their political or social tendencies, are dominated now by one unopposed principle which is to go on raising up tariff barriers, which ought on the contrary to be eliminated, barriers tending to prevent a work of art like the film demolishing the life and autonomy of a nation ! Right or wrong from the international point of view, the principle remains unchallenged.