World Creators Forum calls for tougher copyright protection

Chinese award-winning director Jia Zhangke speaks at the World Creators Forum in Beijing, Nov 28, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Remuneration rights key to China's film industry prosperity

While touching upon the copyright issue in China's film industry, celebrated director Jia Zhangke, who was appointed as CISAC's vice-president earlier this year, said, "As a domestic film worker, I've participated in screenwriting, directing, and producing dozens of Chinese movies over the past two decades. But it's only until the recent two years that I began to have copyright incomes."

The award-winning director went on to say that China's copyright law is under its third and most comprehensive amendment, pending for government approval. The revised law listed copyrights for directors and screenwriters, including their rights to obtain royalties from the commercial use of their works worldwide.

"If the draft law could be adopted, Chinese screenwriters and directors, like their international counterparts, will be able to continuously receive royalties from the use of their works by people in the world...I believe this change will help attract more talents to China's movie industry, and eventually help realize the prosperity of Chinese movies."