MUMBAI: A range of stakeholders from the local screen community united to stage a number of events in celebration of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day. This year’s theme campaigns celebrate the brilliance, ingenuity and courage of women who are driving change in the world and shaping our common future.
The events were supported by the Motion Picture Distributors Association – India, (MPDA), the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) – IP division, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the American Center, New Delhi.
Special Screening of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri hosted by the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai
On April 26, 2018, the celebrations kicked off with an exclusive screening of Fox Star Studios’ latest film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, hosted by the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai in association with MPDA, for over one hundred special invitees from the local screen community and Government officials. The event featured a welcome from U.S. Consul General Edgard Kagan and remarks by Christine Haight Farley, U.S. based IPR lawyer and Rucha Pathak, Chief Creative Officer, Fox Star Studios.
U.S. Consul General Edgard Kagan, said,” We aren’t here today to talk just about the great movies being made in both India and the United States, but also to recognize and honor the intellectual property rights framework that allows cinematic creativity to thrive. IPR protections allow creative talents in almost all industries to reap the rewards of their labor and also spurs and incentivizes innovation. The creative, hardworking women and men who imagine and make this fantastic content deserve the support of strong intellectual property protections.”
Rucha Pathak, Chief Creative Officer, Fox Star Studios said, “To a large extent, the new level of creativity and innovation in films and film content in India is linked to women taking risks as writers, directors, actors and producers and thereby bringing a welcome change in the landscape of Indian films over the last few years.”
Uday Singh, Managing Director, MPDA said, “India is at the forefront of creativity and economic growth. Women leaders and entrepreneurs are an integral part of this growth story. Their contribution continues to power ingenuity in various sectors including ours, across the world.”
World IP Day Film Festival at the American Center, New Delhi
Between April 27-28, MPDA in association with the American Center, New Delhi, Disney India and Fox Star Studios will host screenings of Black Panther, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Shape of Water. On April 27, the winners of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – US Embassy Anti-Piracy Film competition will be announced before the movie screening. The main objective of the competition is to promote the value of Intellectual Property Rights in North India. The jury for the competition comprised senior officials from the government and local industry, including MPDA, India.
“India and the United States both have diverse and incredibly vibrant film industries,” said Stewart Davis, North India Program Director at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, “And we are proud to work together with CII, MPDA-India and our partners across India to promote intellectual property rights. The creative workers in both countries deserve these protections and consumers must understand the very real negative implications of piracy on the cinema we all love.”
“CII has been actively engaged in various IPR awareness, training and enforcement programmes in partnership with Government and local industry stakeholders. We are happy with the positive outcome of the anti-piracy filmmaking competition and are committed to strengthen efforts towards building a vibrant IP ecosystem,” said Anjan Das, Executive Director, CII.
