The Department of Cinema calls for rectification of film distribution activities on the internet
WVR - The Department of Cinema (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) requests relevant organizations, businesses, and individuals to urgently review film distribution activities on the internet, including products introduced under the name "short films", ensuring full compliance with legal regulations on cinema.
Latest
On September 25, the Department of Cinema issued Official Dispatch No. 1919/DA-VP regarding compliance with regulations on film distribution on the internet. The document was sent to enterprises, public service units, organizations distributing films on the internet; organizations and businesses managing and operating digital media platforms, intermediary platforms, or application stores providing films and film distribution applications in Vietnam.
According to the Department of Cinema, alongside the development of digital technology and online content services, film distribution activities on the internet have become increasingly diverse in methods and have grown in quantity. Many products introduced as “short films” are provided to viewers through platforms, applications, and online content services.
Through state management of cinema, the Department of Cinema has observed that some organizations and individuals distributing films on the internet have not fully complied with the conditions and procedures as stipulated by law. The noted contents include the entities permitted to distribute films, conditions for film classification, classification and display of classification results, notification of film lists, and classification results before distribution, along with related obligations.
 |
| Film distribution activities on the internet are becoming increasingly diverse in methods and growing in quantity. (Source: Van Hoa) |
Review conditions for film distribution and classification
The Department of Cinema requests organizations, businesses, and individuals currently distributing films on the internet to urgently review and ensure that the entities involved are permitted under Clause 1, Article 21 of the Cinema Law 2022. According to this regulation, entities allowed to distribute films on the internet include enterprises, public service units, and organizations conducting film distribution activities in accordance with the Cinema Law and related legal regulations.
Entities are also required to review film distribution activities on the platforms and applications they manage and operate, ensuring full compliance with legal regulations.
Before distributing films, entities must ensure conditions for film classification and be legally responsible for the content and classification results.
According to Clause 1, Article 12 of Government Decree No. 131/2022/ND-CP, entities classifying films for distribution on the internet must have a film classification council, technical software, or a mechanism to perform classification according to Vietnamese regulations and be responsible for the classification results. Additionally, they must have plans to amend and update classification results when requested by competent state agencies; have technical plans and procedures to temporarily suspend distribution and remove films upon request.
If conditions for film classification are not met, the distributing entity must request the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism or an authorized agency to classify films that have not been granted a Film Classification Certificate or Broadcast Decision as per regulations.
Before distribution, enterprises, public service units, and organizations must notify the list of films and classification results through the Film Classification Data System on the internet; display classification levels, warnings, and apply necessary technical measures to protect children, facilitating users to report violating films.
Platforms required to review and prevent violating films
For digital media platforms, intermediary platforms, or application stores providing films and film distribution applications in Vietnam, the Department of Cinema requests managing and operating organizations and businesses to urgently check and review films, “short films”, and film distribution applications being provided on the platforms and application stores they manage.
If films or “short films” are provided by entities that do not fully meet the conditions for film distribution on the internet, classification requirements, and related obligations, the Department of Cinema requests timely prevention, discontinuation of provision, and distribution; simultaneously requiring related entities to rectify and fully complete conditions and procedures before continuing distribution.
Organizations and businesses managing and operating platforms are also requested to cooperate and provide information and documents as required by competent state agencies during the inspection, review, and handling of cases showing signs of legal violations in cinema.
The Department of Cinema states that it is coordinating with relevant agencies and units to inspect, review, and verify cases of organizations and individuals distributing films on platforms, applications, and the internet with signs of legal violations in cinema.
The Department of Cinema requests relevant organizations, businesses, and individuals to proactively review and rectify any existing violations (if any), and to cooperate and provide complete and timely information and documents as required by competent authorities.
For organizations and individuals identified as having committed violations, the Department of Cinema will handle them according to its authority or coordinate and transfer information and dossiers to competent authorities for consideration and handling according to legal regulations.
