Controversy over the Tudela bill: what changes could it bring to the Peruvian film industry?

One of the most striking points is the one that refers to the subsidies that, to date, are provided by the Directorate of Audiovisual, Phonography and New Media (DAFO) of the Ministry of Culture. According to the Tudela project, “”.

At another point in the project Tudelait is pointed out that the incentives that DAFO has been granting “They are designed mainly for national productions, ”.

In that sense, the initiative places special emphasis on promoting foreign productions made within our country. For example, through the “creation of a single window for filming authorizations in Peruvian territory”, which would fall into the hands of Prom-Perú.

RESPONSE AND REJECTION

After its presentation, various unions have joined the collective In Defense of Peruvian Cinemawith the aim of warning about the risks that the initiative would imply.

For filmmaker Rossana Díaz Costa, spokesperson for the group, one of the most delicate points is regarding economic stimuli, with the proposal to restrict them to 50% of the total production cost. “. You would have to have 50% of the budget guaranteed, and that obviously erases the possibilities of debut films or regional cinema”, explains the director of “A world for Julius”.

Regarding Tudela’s opposition to favoring indigenous and regional cinema, Díaz Costa points out that this would cause the loss of a plural, diverse and representative cinema of all areas of Peru. “There would probably be very few companies in Lima making films –warns the filmmaker– […]. A lot would also be lost in terms of preservation, training, movie theaters, and cultural management. There are many things, it’s not just about making movies”.

Finally, regarding his prioritization of foreign productions in Peru, Díaz Costa says: “. Not that it is a law that annuls the stimulus law”.

THE OTHER PART

Last night, Congresswoman Adriana Tudela published a video on Twitter in which she responded to some of the questions raised about her bill. First of all, in the face of criticism for not having consulted with any film union, she assured that the initiative “It has been the result of consultations with different experts in cultural promotion, tourism and economic matters.”.

He also questioned the current law, promulgated through an Emergency Decree in 2019, during the government of Martín Vizcarra. “That law was the product of closed-door meetings between the industry unions and the government at that time. […] My project may have supporters and detractors, but the truth is that it will be debated publicly along with other initiatives in a democratic process.”he added.

Tudela Gutiérrez also said that it is “absolutely false” that his project seeks to abolish regional cinema and cinema in native languages, although he confirmed that, at the same time as establishing tax incentives.

“Likewise, the possibility opens up that foreign productions that film in Peru can access this financing, since they bring knowledge transfer, can generate collaborations with the national industry, generate employment and also promote the country.“, he pointed.