By: Rancy S. Teewia
The Government of Liberia and the Liberia Movie Union (LIMU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding through the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) at the ministry’s Friday June 14, 2019 press briefing in Monrovia.
The President of the Liberia Movie Union, Mr. Gregory Artus Frank, said over the time the Union has been indebted to the Liberian Government. He pointed out that the signing of this MOU is to put a good system in place in order to mitigate and fight piracy in the country.
Noting that the Liberian film makers has been struggling over the years because of the influxes of illegal films on the Liberian market, he asserted that the union thought of the need to put system in place based upon this reason to help create job for passionate and talented young Liberians.
Mr. Frank said over the years, the Liberian Movies Union has been indebted to the government of Liberia because the Union has not been able to incorporate other film makers in the counties who are not been able to catch up some of their internal obligation.
With no disrespect to the past leadership who he asserted did extremely well in the union, he notwithstanding recounted one of the Union’s present major progress as the signing of the MOU with the government through the Ministry of Information which MOU is in line with intellectual property.
The LIMU president furthered that it took three-month negotiation before the signing of the MOU. Noting that during the signing process, the government invited legal advisers and lawyers who realized that the MOU was in the interest of the Liberian people.
The MOU, Frank said, is about creating job opportunities for Liberians, adding that basically the MOU talked about empowering filmmakers in Liberia to restrict all distributers and marketers. “The only time you sell someone’s intellectual property is when they give you the right to do that,” he stressed.
He stated that that there are many illegal films on the Liberian market that have no connection with Liberia. “We are not stopping anyone to market foreign film, but it should be legalized through the union and the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism which he said is the international standard that is taking place in other countries.
Liberian movie star who also acted in Nigeria’s famous Nollyhood excellently for years said if a good system is put in place, Liberians will benefit from their film industry instead of running behind government jobs.
He reasoned that Liberians over the years, foreign movies have been dominating the local film market. Adding that this is why Liberians are trying to portray other culture instead of unique and rich Liberian culture.
Meanwhile the face of Africa Award winner, Mr. Frank, urged all films makers that before shooting a film, they should follow the legal process that is been put into place, advising that a copy of film produced should be turned over to the union for evaluation of its worthiness for public consumption.
He then expressed happiness that over the deal between the government and the union, and said it is good that this kind of system is put in place for the first time in Liberia.
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