Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

PORTUGAL IMPOSES FILM QUOTA LAW As of January 1, Theatres Must Play Home Films One Week of Every Six by JOAO DE MORAES PALMEIRO in Lisbon A new quota law will go into effect in Portugal January 1, requiring all theatres to devote one week out of each six weeks' playing time to Portuguese product. The sweeping provisions of the new Government decree on film legislation, published October 29, govern licenses, censorship, laboratory work, distribution and exploitation of 16mm pictures, exhibition contracts, foreign ownership of theatres, and official newsreels. Penalties Are Severe Its major provisions: Each Portguese theatre is compelled to screen Portuguese production in the proportion of at least one week for each five weeks devoted to foreign product except during those periods when national product is not available. Theatres not abiding by this rule will be fined or even closed. Portuguese product is defined as those pictures produced in the native tongue, made entirely in Portuguese laboratories in Portugal belonging to Portuguese companies. Foreign technicians will be allowed to work in Portuguese laboratories only with special permission from the Office of Information. All pictures entering Portugal must obtain a special license from the Board of Public Entertainments and must be passed by the censor. The cost of each license, including censorship fees, start at about $400 for a feature exceeding 1,800 metres (about 5,900 feet) which is to be single-billed. To Protect National Industry Money obtained from these licenses will be used to set up a special fund for the Portuguese cinema to protect the national industry. The money will be used for subsidies to native producers, cash prizes for the best productions, to promote the studies abroad of native film artists and technicians and to install a National Cinema Library. It is forbidden for any theatre in Portugal to be owned or exploited by any foreign company or individual. Contracts for exhibition of Portuguese features have to be made on a 50-50 basis during the first week of exploitation of the picture. Reductions proportionate to the revenue are permissible, however. Exhibitors must always give native product special preference notwithstanding previous arrangements with foreign distributors. Native producers must notify the exhibi tor six weeks in advance of the exact playdate of his picture. The Portuguese Office of Information will undertake a special newsreel service and temporarily will handle the entire distribution, exploitation and production of all 16 mm pictures in Portugal. The law forbids the screening in the country of any foreign picture dubbed in the native language or spoken in Portuguese which originates from a foreign laboratory. Exception will be made for Brizilian pictures. Narration Must Be Portuguese All foreign short documentaries, cultural shorts or newsreels must have a Portuguese narration. If long features are superimposed with Portuguese subtitles in foreign laboratories and then shown in the country an additional license fee of $40 for each 300-metre reel will be charged. The same fee will be charged for documentaries or newsreels dubbed in foreign laboratories. The Portuguese Government may undertake to negotiate special deals with any foreign countries for thq interchange of technical and artistic talent which would promote the interests of both countries. World Wide Acquires Seven Italian Films World Wide Film Corporation has acquired seven Italian films produced by Lux Film in Rome for American distribution. They are: "A Yank in Rome," an EnglishItalian bi-lingual film about a GI on leave in Rome; "Rossini," a partial biography of the Italian composer ; "L'Elisir D'Amore," a story based on the popular opera by Donizetti ; "Two Anonymous Letters," a drama of the Italian underground; "Gelosia," based on the Italian classic of the life of Marquis Antonio di Roccaverdina ; "The Sin of Papa Martin," a story of a father's self-sacrifice for his son; and "Marco Visconti," an historical story of a Milanese militia leader and his love affairs. Russia Expects to Produce From 80 to 100 Features Russia expects to be producing from 80 to 100 full-length features a year by the end of the current FiveYear Plan, according to a report in the Foreign Commerce Weekly, U. S. Commerce Department publication. The country's pre-war output was approximately 40-45 features. By 1950, reports the weekly, there probably will be 46,700 "permanent motion picture exhibition places" in the country, since a large number of theatres are scheduled to be constructed in new workers' settlements and in rural areas. Seek Admission Control in Rio By Rio Correspondent The local Price Control Commission is working for control of admission prices in Rio de Janeiro and it is understood that the commission plans to class theatres according to installations, locality, etc., and order maximum admissions proportionately. Admission prices in Brazil are among the lowest in the world, but it is the general impression that the Government is trying to force control of prices at theatres because the Government knows that black market prices cannot exist at the theatres. Up to now the Government has regulated all commodities, but has been unable to enforce its regulations. Now the Government is charged with attempting to make capital of getting admission prices under control. There have been sporadic strikes here against the high cost of living, with theatre admissions singled out for particular attention. In some instances theatres have been forced to close in small cities in the interior. U. S. Product Leads Field in Finland The Department of Commerce has .reported that ap*proximately 67 per cent of all motion pictures exhibited in Helsinki, Finland, from July 28, 1945, to February 7, 1946, were produced in the United States. These accounted for 50.7 per cent of the total playing time. In the 12 months prior to July 28, 1945, only 52 per cent of the pictures exhibited in Helsinki were produced in the U. S. France has requested that 100 pictures be given entry into Finland annually. However, according to reports from Washington, j it is doubtful that any more than 20 French features will be imported. Siritzky-Pagnol Deal for Eight French Pictures Siritzky International Pictures has closed a deal with Marcel Pagnol, French producer, whereby the company acquires exclusive American distribution rights to eight more of the French producer's films, it was reported in New York last week by Joseph Siritzky. Mr. Siritzky said his company now holds American distribution control of all films that have been made by Mr. Pagnol. The eight films, which will be imported shortly, will be subtitled in English. Foreign Screen Handling 15 in Latin America Foreign Screen Corporation will distrib j ute 15 features in the Latin American territory during 1947. Heading the list are six f Pathe of London features including: "A Yank in London," "Man from Morocco," "The Night Has Eyes," "Night Boat to j Dublin," "Suspected Person" and "Tower of Terror." Its own production, "African Vengeance," will be included. 38 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 16, 1946 i