Debates on Audiovisual Director’s Rights in Colombia

In March, DASC – (Spanish initials for Colombian Partnership of Audiovisual Directors), together with the President of Writers & Directors Worldwide Yves Nilly, a delegation of DAC Directors (Spanish initials for Argentine Cinematographic Directors), the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean – CISAC Attorney at law Santiago Schuster, the General Director of the Association of Author’s Rights in Colombia Attorney at law Giancarlo Marcenaro Jiménez and the renowned President of the rising DBCA – Diretores Brasileiros de Cinema e do Audiovisual Sylvio Back, were present in the Debates on Audiovisual Director’s Rights, conducted during the 55th FICCI (Spanish initials for International Festival of Cartagena de Indias).

The first presentation was conducted in the morning of March 16. In the afternoon, a second debate was held in the Theater Room of the emblematic Hotel Caribe of the already mentioned city. Both presentations were positive and productive, given the massive number of spectators who were mainly Colombian film and TV directors interested in author’s rights. They discussed different topics with the renowned directors of the organizations as well as with the present specialist lawyers Luis Mangiavillano from DAC and Adriana Saldarriaga from DASC.

On the 17th the group moved to the city of Bogota. A highly expected meeting was conducted there with the Vice minister of the Interior of Colombia, Attorney at law Carlos Ferro in an effort to demand a legal reform. In Colombia, there exists legislation that acknowledges authors’, directors’, scriptwriters’, musicians’, and cartoonist’s rights. However, there is also a section that makes the artist clarify whether he/she accepts this right. In case the artist does not, the producers are immediately assigned this right.

At night, another audiovisual debate was conducted with many famous Colombian TV directors. All current affairs’ topics were discussed along with the current performance of the local DASC association and the future steps to obtain the final authorization from the Colombian government to become and incorporated collecting society in that territory.

Said debates turned somewhat emotional, since DASC started granting rights that were liquidated by the Argentine DAC association to the Directors that were present on that day, in account for past audiovisual works of Colombian directors in the Argentine territory.

DASC association and its associated Directors, who currently amount to more than 120 members, expressed their gratitude towards their Argentine colleagues as well as their belief in creating and implementing a Social Action secretariat to provide assistance to those directors and beloved cultural professionals that may require so.