Celluloid Chronicles: Exploring Cinema and Copyright over Films Across Borders in India, the US & Germany

Abstract

The paper examines the intricate relationship between cinema and copyright law, focusing on the jurisdictions of India, the United States, and Germany. As cinema has progressed from film to the digital age, copyright law has played a pivotal role in shaping its development, regulation, and protection.

The research delves into the historical, political, and legal contexts of cinema and copyright law in India, the US, and Germany through a comparative lens. Each jurisdiction presents unique challenges regarding the protection of creative expression and the role of the State in protecting films. Examining the historical evolution of legislative provisions and industry practices seeks to elucidate the evolving dynamics between filmmaking and copyright law. The Doctrinal and Comparative methodology is applied to critically analyse how cinema progressed from inception when Copyright Laws did not recognize films as separate copyrightable work to the era when the film industry was permeated with a plethora of infringement disputes and films found their place as separate work under the Copyright Laws and a few recommendations that Indian Copyright Law can incorporate to bring the legislation at par with other jurisdictions.