Film-event organisers sued over design copyright
A design company has sued the organisers of the International Film Festival and Asian Film Awards for breaching its copyright on designs it says it developed.
Redder Door filed the claim at the Court of First Instance against the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society and DotAsia Organisation, which oversees the '.Asia' Web domain registry.
Redder Door says it developed designs and the layout for the film awards website (asiafilmawards.asia) at a cost of HK$294,000, but has only been paid HK$50,000.
It says the two organisations infringed its copyright on materials it had designed for the film awards.
The lawsuit comes just before the two events open to a gathering of who's who in the entertainment industry and media from around the world. The 34th annual Hong Kong International Film Festival opens today and runs till April 6, while the awards ceremony takes place at the Convention and Exhibition Centre tomorrow evening.
Redder Door says the society and DotAsia engaged the company's services on November 2 last year to work on designs for the two events.
The two organisations paid HK$50,000 in February for services rendered, but have yet to settle the rest of the bill, it says.
Redder Door says it developed a design concept of incorporating bamboo with elements of the film industry. It says the two have infringed upon its copyright for designs and creative concepts.
The design company is asking for a court injunction to stop the society and DotAsia from infringing its copyright. It is also demanding that the society find out the identities and locations of the suppliers that have broken its copyright on the materials.
The company is also seeking an order from the court that the two destroy all the materials they have that copy its designs.
The society organises film-related programmes throughout the year, including the film festival, the Asian film awards and the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum.
