Lawmaker wants equal screen time for local, foreign films

A lawmaker is batting for the screening slots in local theaters all over the country to be equally divided between local films and foreign movies under the proposed Local Movies Act.

Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez filed House Bill 6300, which seeks to ensure local films get the same exposure as foreign movies, which now dominate the local theaters in the country.

“The bill urges the movie theater owners to support the local movie producers and encourage them to make more films that will compete will foreign films,” Fernandez said.

“Local movies produced and shown in theaters will entice the younger generation to watch Filipino movies that will foster patriotism and nationalism in them,” he said.

The lawmaker said the bill allows local movie producers to get their return of investment because at present they are losing against foreign films.

The bill mandates that movie theater operators run local movies approved and rated by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board for a minimum of seven consecutive days to support local movie producers even if a certain movie is not bringing enough ticket revenues.

The bill also mandates the movie theater operators to equally divide movie trailer spots between local and foreign movie trailers prior to the actual film screening of a featured movie.

The measure requires movie theater operators to make Fridays as the start of movie play dates, instead of Wednesdays, to give local movies better chances in the box office.

Under the bill, the Film Academy Council of the Philippines shall create a monitoring body to track down violators and impose sanctions against erring theater owners. The bill imposes a fine of P100,000 on violators.