Unlimited film imports: Audiences happy, movie producers not

VietNamNet Bridge – What will happen if imports of foreign movies are not restricted? Will the local movie industry be crushed or pushed to develop?

Many blockbusters are screened in Vietnam at the same time as in the US.

Without foreign films, what will audiences watch?

The amended Cinema Law, which will be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration on May 28, proposes removing the quota on imported films. As the Cinema Law was issued in June 2006, before Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), some articles are inappropriate to Vietnam’s commitments.

If the import quota is removed, the number of foreign films at Vietnamese cinemas would greatly increase and local audiences would have opportunities to enjoy the latest products of many countries.

Some Vietnamese film producers have complained that Vietnamese films are being blocked in the home market because of imported movies, which have advantages over local products in terms of both quantity and quality.

It is very difficult for domestic movies, which have investment capital of $300,000 to compete with foreign films of millions of USD. If the restriction is removed, the local movie industry will be in even graver danger. Many say that Vietnam should learn from China, which allows the import of 20 foreign films a year and applies a harsh censorship policy, to protect the local movie industry.

However, China is different from Vietnam because its film industry has developed to the point where it can sufficiently satisfy Chinese audiences.

In 2007-2008, Vietnam produced less than 20 big-screen movies. Without foreign films, what would audiences watch? Without foreign films, cinemas would have to close their doors.

How to balance?

Audiences are always eager to enjoy the latest and best movies of the world. To satisfy this demand, film importers like MegaStar, Galaxy and BHD are very busy importing films from the US and China. These firms import around three to four movies a month on average. Sometimes, MegaStar introduces two such films a week.

The number of imported films increases continuously and the gap between Vietnam and the world in screening blockbusters is being closed.

The director of Phuoc Sang Film, which recently has had some successful movies, said: “I see domestic and foreign films at the same level at box offices. A Vietnamese movie with investment capital of $400,000-500,000 is on a par with an imported film which is produced with hundreds of million USD but imported into Vietnam at dozens of thousand USD. Vietnamese movies will disappear from the map if foreign films are imported rampantly.”

Imported movies satisfy the taste of most audience.

Sang suggests that the government employ other measures to protect local movies, for example raising the import tax on movies from 5% at present to 30-40%.

“People worried that if primetime television was reserved for local films only, there would not be enough films for broadcasting. But now Vietnamese movies dominate and have even dislodged Chinese and Korean films. When the government issued encouragement policies, many people joined film production. It is similar for the big screen. If there is demand, there will be supply,” Sang said.

In another view, General Director of Thien Ngan Film, Tran Vu Hoai said that the removal of the quota on film imports was a positive measure to develop the market.

According to Hoai, the movie market is very small, mainly in Hanoi and HCM City, so the most important thing is developing the market before solving other issues.

“A developed film market needs products and distribution channels. While the source of local movies is inadequate and doesn’t satisfy audiences’ demands, it is necessary to import films. It is impractical to restrict this source with a quota,” Hoai added.

He said imported films should not be seen as direct rivals to local films because they are entirely different, at least at present or in the next 5-10 years, particularly in economic aspects.

Imported films and locally-produced films don’t contravene one another because the market needs them both, according to Hoai.

“I don’t think that importing more foreign films will hinder local producers from producing films. If local producers produce good films and address economic problems well, they won’t be threatened by foreign films,” Hoai said.

Once local producers are able to produce and distribute 50 or 100 films a year, this means that moviegoers’ tastes have changed. At that time, without a quota, film importers will automatically reduce their imports because local audiences prefer local products, Hoai added.

He pointed out that it is wrong to think that without foreign films, Vietnamese audiences will go to box offices to watch local films. “There are one million people going to cinemas to watch 100 films but it doesn’t mean that when the market has only ten local films, these films will attract one million viewers,” Hoai said.

He suggested that the local movie industry should be encouraged by indirect, non-administrative measures such as tax exemptions, assistance for film-crew training, capital assistance for film production and building box offices, etc.

Bich Hanh