ABSTRACT
Exhibition policies are regulations governing three different areas: movie theatres and screening places; films and programmes; and distribution format. This chapter presents the background to and the issues at play in the current film distribution and exhibition deadlock in Chad. As early as 1968, a state Film Review Board was created to guarantee the respect of morality, national mores and traditions and to prevent any negative representation of the country. By establishing controls as a preliminary to any public exhibition, the Commission had created a contract of trust with exhibitor: once the visa was delivered, no field monitoring was deemed necessary. Exhibition licenses regulations have been less and less respected, in the context of the uncontrolled proliferation of video-clubs. Films are shown to all audiences indiscriminately, with no consideration for age, public morality or copyright. The advent of digital technologies has also strongly influenced content and copyright regulations.
