An international group of more than 100 film and screen industry representative organizations, including the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), have launched a global petition on Change.org calling on governments around the world “to stand firm and safeguard the systems that support independent film and audiovisual creation”.
Other Canadian signatories include the Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada (APFC), the Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ), and the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM).
The petition follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent order to impose a 100-per-cent tariff on foreign-made films.
Although the petition does not mention specifically Trump’s film tariff order, it does refer to “increasingly aggressive attempts by powerful political and corporate actors to dismantle the regulatory protections that ensure the diversity and accessibility of cultural expression.”
These include “direct challenges to essential protections such as the Audiovisual Media Services Directive in the European Union, proposed local content obligations in Australia, screen quotas in Asia, and requirements that streaming services contribute to domestic production in Canada, among others,” the petition says.
“These actions take place alongside wider attacks on pluralism and freedom of expression. If they succeed, it will become increasingly difficult for diverse voices to be heard, for the whole eco-system to create, produce, distribute, promote and exhibit films and audiovisual works successfully, and for local cultures to thrive,” the petition continues.
In a press release on Monday, the CMPA said: “Today, the support for independent film and audiovisual storytelling is under growing threat….The latest announcement from US President Trump regarding a plan to impose tariffs on film imports only adds to this threat. It underscores the importance of protecting our ability to tell stories rooted in local cultures, languages, and identities — and to ensure that people everywhere can continue to access and enjoy them. Without these protections and incentives, we will lose a vibrant, diverse and culturally-rich film and audiovisual industry and everyone, everywhere will lose out.”
In its own press release Monday, the AQPM voiced its support for the petition.
“The AQPM is very pleased to join this movement and encourages all associations in the Quebec audiovisual industry, creators, performers, professionals and producers to join in order to instill in our elected officials the courage and determination necessary to allow our stories to occupy all screens,” Hélène Messier, president and CEO of the AQPM, said in a statement.
The global petition goes on to say: “Films and audiovisual works do not just fuel economic growth and global talent circulation, they reflect who we are as societies and envision who we could become. More than enriching our cultural lives, they are essential to a healthy democracy: they support freedom of expression and give voice to the diverse stories and perspectives of humanity.
“We therefore firmly oppose any political, legal, or economic initiative that seeks to undermine national or international rules designed to uphold artistic freedom and cultural diversity in the film and audiovisual sector.
“This includes the right of countries to create and maintain their own cultural policies and regulatory systems, which recognise the importance to own, control, and monetize our works’ intellectual property. Such measures form the foundation of a healthy audiovisual ecosystem, allowing the economic value generated by creative works to benefit domestic creators, reinforcing the cultural sovereignty of local film and audiovisuals sectors around the world, and supporting the international circulation of diverse, independent film and audiovisual works.”
The full joint statement of the 100 or so film and audiovisual sector organizations can be read here.
Image borrowed from the petition on Change.org
