Copyright Act 2021 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Copyright in Works
125. Duration of copyright in films
Feedback & supportSubject to subsection (2), any copyright in a film expires —
if the film is first published within 50 years after the end of the year in which the film is made — 70 years after the end of the year in which the film is first published;
if the film is first published more than 50 years after the end of the year in which the film is made, but is made available to the public other than by publication within those 50 years — 70 years after the end of the year in which the film is first made available to the public; and
in any other case — 70 years after the end of the year in which the film is made.
If a film is first published on or before 31 December 2022, any copyright in the film expires 70 years after the end of the year in which the film is first published.
For the purposes of this section —
subject to paragraph (b), a film is made available to the public in the following circumstances (but without limiting the expression “made available to the public”):
the film is communicated to the public;
the visual images of the film are seen in public;
any sounds of the film are heard in public;
the film is published; and
an unauthorised act (as defined by section 58(5)) must be ignored in deciding whether a film is made available to the public.