Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

ITALIAN QUOTA IS SEEN UNLIKELY by ARGEO SANTUCCI in Rowe Regulations affecting the importation of pictures will not be greatly changed this year, according to well-informed industry figures. No quota restriction seems to be scheduled, but it is possible that earnings of foreign pictures will still have to be held in blocked accounts. In any case, it is understood, investments of these earnings will remain under the control of the Government. Just recently the banks were reminded that they must ask permission of the Government for the expenditure of any earnings from the exploitation of foreign pictures entered to blocked accounts. However, this rule may soon be eased and American companies could invest in Italian stocks. American companies in Italy are concerned over the law prohibiting the conversion of lire into dollars, claiming that this makes unprofitable the distribution of pictures, considering that the average cost for the dubbing, copies and advertising is estimated at about 3,000,000 lire— $13,500— for each picture. V The general bilateral trade agreement between Italy and Holland provides for the exportation to Holland of Italian-made projectors. Universal-International will distribute 25 pictures in Italy during the 1947-48 season, it has been indicated here. INDIA Bombay Bureau The National Government is desirous oi reviving its production activities — the production of educational and informational short subjects. It is understood the Cabinet has decided in favor of the revial and a token grant of money will be incorporated in the budget to be introduced February 28. If the budget is approved, production could be resumed in April. For about four years, ending only last April, the Government produced two series of films, Information Films of India and Indian News Parade. The latter was taken over by private interests when the Government dropped it in April, but these interests were unable to finance the series beyond December last. It is now disclosed that during the war the American authorities agreed to allow the export of raw film to India for civilian use with the proviso that at least six per cent of the stock would be used for propaganda films. This stock was used for two Governmental series of films. V Latest figures available for the 1945-46 period show that approximately 80,750,000 feet of raw stock was consumed by the Indian film industry. There has been about a 50 per cent increase in the importation of projection machinery and a tripling in imports of sound recording machinery. In 1945-46 the projection machinery imported was valued at approximately $750,000 and the sound machinery at $500,000. V Since 1944 the Soviets have been trying to introduce their films into India but have not been successful. This year the distribution of Russian films has been handed over to Sunrich Pictures, Ltd., which controls production and distribution of Indian films. This combination may pave the way for the exhibition of Soviet films in this country. MEXICO by LUIS BECERRA CELIS in Mexico City Producers here are worried anew by fresh evidence that the quarrel between the two film labor unions, the National' Cinematographic Industry Workers Union and the Picture Production Workers Union, is still going strong despite Government efforts to end the conflict. That evidence was the statement made by Mario Moreno (Cantinflas), secretary general of the Production Union, that the Cinematogrraphic Industry Workers Union had broken its promise to the Government by proceeding with the production of features after promising to confine itself to newsreels, documentaries and other shorts, and to leave features to the Production Union. V Monterrey, the northeastern industrial center near the Texas border, is to be another Mexican production center. The Government has authorized Ancia Films of Monterrey to import equipment for such production, which is to start soon. Ancia has been producing newsreels. V Oscar Brooks, former Warner manager here, who is distributing for Filmex, is the new president of the Mexican Motion Picture Distributors Association. BRAZIL by I. A. EKERMAN in Rid de Janeiro Police officials are conducting a campaign to enforce the laws relating to classification of pictures for juvenile spectators. Some pictures are forbidden for children under 10, others for children under 14 and 18 years of age. While the larger theatres are observing the law, neighborhood theatres evade the law very often. Recently, the Orion theatre in Sao Paulo was fined and closed for three weeks because officials found minors in the theatre below the stipulated! age level for the picture. Police say the campaign will continue, indicating the possibility of heavier fines and eventually the closing of theatres violating the law. V Numerous non-Hollywood pictures are having success herje. "The Seventh Veil"' and ''Madonna of the Seven Moons," both, British imports, had long runs. The Mexican ''Three Musketeers" recently went intO' its third week in one of the biggest theatres in Sao Paulo. The Brazilian "O Ebrio" not only shattered the record for national pictures, but in many theatres broke attendancerecords set by American pictures. The Portuguese "Ignaz de Castro" is also a hit. CHILE by MARIA ROMERO in Santiago de Chile Jorge Suarez Orrego, former manager of United Artists in Chile, has been promoted to UA general director for Argentina and, Uruguay. Arnoldo Binder and Juan Camarada were assigned to the positions of manager and sub-manager, respectively, of UA. in Chile. V Moving Picture House Employees Day was celebrated for the first time here February 4. All theatres were closed for the whole day and ushers, ticket sellers, operators and other employees were given a huge party. It is planned to make this celebration an annual affair. PALESTINE by IBRAHIM ZEIN in Jaffa Egyptian industry leaders and trade papers are protesting against the import of foreign films with superimposed Arabic narration. The Egyptian Government has been requested to impose higher taxes on such importations as well as on all kinds of foreign films. This, they feel, would serve to. encourage local production. A recently published statistic showed that attendance at subtitled foreign pictures had gone up 35 per cent while, at the same time, attendance at locally-made films had gone down. V RKO's "Sinbad the Sailor" will be dubbed into Arabic for exploitation in Near East territories, according to Sam Stiller, RKO manager for Palestine. Sound recordings will be made in Egypt. V Antone Khoury of Nahas Film, one of the important distributors of Egyptian films, has left for a trip to North and South America, where he expects to open new markets for Arabic pictres. He also plans to purchase American studio equipment needed by local companies. V Cairo exhibitors have received letters from the "Students' Secret Committee," threatening violence unless records of the Egyptian national anthem and the Royal march are played before every show. 46 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH I, 1947