Mechanism for control over film distribution in Pridnestrovie

A mechanism for controlling film distribution has appeared in the republic. The law has established norms according to which distributors will be able to show foreign films in Pridnestrovie only with special permission. Such permission can be obtained from the State Service for Culture and Historical Heritage after passing an examination to determine the film’s compliance with the current legislation of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. Permission to display will be issued without an examination for films that have distribution certificates of the Russian Federation.

Administrative liability is provided for film rental without special permission in the form of a fine – from 100 to 350 minimum wages (from 1840 to 6440 rubles) for individuals, from 200 to 500 minimum wages (from 3680 to 9200 rubles) for legal entities.

The fine will be higher for a repeated violation: for individuals – from 350 to 450 minimum wages (from 6400 to 8280 rubles), for legal entities - from 500 to 800 minimum wages (from 9200 to 14720 rubles) or suspension of activities for up to 90 days.

Relevant legislative initiatives to introduce amendments and additions to the law “On Cinematography” and to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic were developed and submitted to parliament for consideration by the parliamentary corps by deputies of the Committee on Education, Public Associations and Media Igor Buga, Andrey Safonov and Pavel Shinkaryuk. The legislations were adopted in October in the course of the plenary meeting in the first reading.

The Law “On Cinematography” established a rule according to which the screening and rental of films imported from abroad will be carried out in accordance with the current legislation of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, as well as on the basis of an agreement on the transfer for a certain period of copyright and permission to display the film imported from abroad. At the same time, the new rules will not affect the screening of films on broadcast, cable, satellite television, distribution via the global Internet, as well as the screening of films imported from abroad for screening at international film festivals.

The permit to show a film imported from abroad must contain information about the prohibition of distributing the film among children in cases where the film contains information prohibited for distribution among children in accordance with the law “On the Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development”. If there are restrictions on the distribution of a film among children of certain age categories, information about this must also be recorded in the permit to display such a film.

The procedure for issuing, refusing to issue and revoking permission to display a film imported from abroad will be established by the Government.

The deputy corps unanimously supported in the course of the plenary meeting in the second final reading changes and additions to the law “On Cinematography” and to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the PMR. The new norms will come into force 60 days after signing by the PMR President and official publication.