However, to be provided with such ease and speed, the internet has also victimized many matters from which “The Iranian Cinema” is a clear example of. The presence of each film on the internet without copyright being taken into consideration; is an immediate start of an unfair battle between the illegal profit makers and the sincere cast and crew of the films. In this battle, the defeat of sincerity is a definite result.
Now we Iranian filmmakers are requesting you as our compatriot audiences, from inside or outside Iran, to feel more sceptical and responsible towards the loss that we are being put at. With each visit that you make to one of these piracy websites that are devoid of a legal contract, and are offering you our feature, documentary and short films, it costs us irrecoverable amounts that you certainly are unaware of.
Although the efforts of the concerned lawyers from inside and outside of Iran will reduce a small amount of this damage, but with your help, it is more certain that the cultural and economic achievements will be more persistent.
Opportunists, who have found the internet to be a safe place for their own business with other people’s fortune, would justify their actions using the excuse that Iranian films have no “copyright”; therefore whatever use that is being made out of them is allowed. However, our filmmakers’ community hopes that you as our audiences will not accept the justification that these thieves of art and culture offer. Therefore we wish you to sign the contract of “copyright” for the Iranian films in your own cultural conscience.
Trust that we are aware that the only reason you may visit these piracy websites is that of your enthusiasm to watch these Iranian films, the enthusiasm that is our biggest wealth and inspiration for creating these films. Nevertheless it is only fair that our efforts and your eagerness should be left unaffected by these illegal profit makers, so the relationship between the producer and the consumer is improved daily.
We are glad to inform you that we signers of this statement have recently signed a contract with one of the websites based in Europe through which you can legally have access to our films on www.IMVBox.com or any other website that is mentioned on this website only, from any place in the world.
This is our first step to fight the free traders of the films of the Iranian Cinema on the internet; and we request you to be our companion in this first step and any further necessary steps that have to be taken.
Statement core group:
1 - Rakhshan Banietemad
2 - Fereshteh Taerpour
3 - Katayoon Shahabi
4 - Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
5 - Majid Barzegar
6 - Parviz Parastui
So far 202 members from various Iranian Film industry sectors have signed the above statement. The full list will soon be released.