Monrovia – The Liberia Movie Union, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, and the Intellectual Property Office has begun taking pragmatic steps in putting an end to the illegal sale of local and foreign movies on the Liberian market.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
A release signed by officials of the Liberia Movie Union and the two government institutions noted as of October 7, no illegal films will be sold on the Liberian market.
Excerpt of the release: “As we take a new dimension on the Liberian film market, the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Liberia Intellectual Property Office and the National Executives of the Liberia Movies Union would like to have you informed that beginning September 5, 2019 to October 5, 2019, will be the end period of illegal and multiple films on one disc on the Liberian market.”
The Statement continues: “… we encourage all marketers, distributors and those wanting to market films on the Liberian market both local and international must obtain Power of Attorney from the producer of the said film. Based on this, only legal films will be allowed on the market, beginning October 7, 2019.
The statement was signed by Gregory Artus Frank, national president, Liberia Movie Union, David B. Kolleh, Assistant Minister for Technical Services, Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism, and Clifford B. Robinson, Jr., Deputy DirectorGeneral for Copyright, Liberia Intellectual Property.
Like many African countries, Liberia entertainment industry – movie and music, continues to be greatly affected by piracy. Although Liberia has laws against piracy, the entertainment industry remains a thriving business partly due to poor or no implementation of copyright laws.
Almost in every street corner and market in Monrovia and other parts of Liberia, vendors are seen selling single disc with multiple films recorded on it. Some use memory cards and memory sticks to sell music and movies.
So, far there has been no prosecution of offenders of these copyright laws.
However, the President of the Liberia Movie Union, internationally acclaimed movie star, Gregory Artus Frank has made combatting piracy in the Liberian film industry his administration’s top priority.