British Films For Germany

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 276, 11 February 1928, Page 23

British Films For Germany

Gaumont and U.F.A. DETAILS OF PACT More detailed information concerning the Gaumont pact with the UFA. Company is contained in the following mailed message from London. (CONFERENCES in London and Berlin during the past few weeks have resulted in the signing of a reciprocal agreement between the leading British and German film interests. On the English side the contracting party consists of the Gaumont-British Picture Corporation, Ltd., W. and F. Film Service, Ltd., and Ideal Films, Ltd., while the German film interest concerned is the Ufa Company, which also controls the Deulig, the Decla, and certain other companies. Both Gaumont-British and Ufa control a number of theatres, the Ufa having upwards of a hundred, and both companies therefore operate extensively over all branches of the film business —producing, renting and exhibiting—in their respective countries. Exchange of Artists In future the Ufa Company will acquire a definite proportion of the British films belonging to the GaumontBritish Corporation, or its affiliated companies, for distribution in Germany, and will handle them on sharing or percentage terms, similar to those upon which the German films will be distributed in England, and subject to substantial advance payments and cash guarantees. It is planned also from time to time to exchange artists, so that British artists may learn German technique, and German artists secure similar privileges in this country. It is not contemplated that distribution of the Gaumont-British films should be confined to Germany, although that country is the market of first importance for several other countries, particularly the somewhat difficult Central European States, where British films at present seldom penetrate. Joint Anglo-German products could secure some of the results hitherto enjoyed by the Americans. The agreement reached between the two companies is a trading agreement purely, and involves no financial merger or joint capital interest.