If you love films you should fight film piracy. Don't Support it, Report it!

Downloading illegal film content is theft. By stealing films you are disrespecting the work of not just the directors and actors but also the large team of people behind each and every film production; from make up artists and location scouts to screenwriters and editors. Downloading illegal film content is not a victimless crime. Stealing and distributing illegal film content affects each and every one of these individuals.

You also risk damaging your computer with viruses if you download films from un-verified websites.

Ensuring you only download film content from IFC approved websites protectes both you and the Iranian Film Industry.

Film piracy is the manufacturing of unauthorised copies of a film that are protected by copyright, and distributing those copies by selling them to the public.

Film piracy is a form of copyright infringement; as such copies have been made without the permission of the copyright owner. In order to make authorised copies of a film, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner to do so.

Naturally, film piracy is the biggest threat to the film industry. Although estimating the economic costs can be difficult due to the illicit nature of piracy, one study found that online film piracy costed the U.S economy alone around $20.5bn annually and studios $6.1 bn annually. Consumers are also affected by online piracy, as many sources of pirated films expose the user to risks of malicious advertisements and viruses.

It's worth bearing in mind that it's not only the leading actors, directors and producers that film piracy affects - the illegal distribution of film content undermines the hard work of each and every person involved in the film's production from cameramen and carpenters to the hair and make-up departments.

If you suspect someone providing illegal copies of Iranian films, or downloading illegal copies of Iranian films, you can report it here

One way of preventing film piracy is by not purchasing any pirated copies of films that are made available to the public and avoiding downloading films from illegal websites.
If you suspect an individual or company of being involved in film piracy, you can report it here

The Internet provides several avenues through which pirated films can be distributed and made available to the public. These include Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks and file-sharing websites which are used to traffic digital content. Forums, blogs and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) also are used to provide access to pirated content via website links.

Each country has different requirements for copyright protection, but with regards to the UK law, provided that the film, and/or the film-maker, fulfil the statutory requirements under UK copyright law, it is possible for an Iranian film to qualify for copyright protection in the UK.

The film need not be original, however, part, or all of the film must not be copied from a previous film. (Section 5B Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988)

• A film can include a number of works which can be protected by copyright
 

Examples include:

• The script may be protected as a literary work (it can be an adaptation of a book). The score may be protected as a musical work

• In order for a film to qualify for copyright protection under UK law, it must satisfy one of the two following requirements:
   

1. The author of the film must be:

o British

o Domiciled or resident in the UK, or another country in which copyright law extends to* (i.e. the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

o A company incorporated in the UK or a country to which copyright law extends to*

OR

2. The work was first published in the UK or a country to which copyright law extends to*


* With regards to qualification for copyright protection, UK Copyright law will extend to the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.