I am planning to organize video art screenings for our students here at JCU and would like to understand if here are copyright issues to set this up properly.
Answer
A video screening aimed at a group of students/teachers, especially in a classroom setting, does not have obligations relating to the payment of rights. In this case we refer to the article 15 of law 633/1941.
Free public screenings open to non-JCU community, instead, require a different treatment. The license for the use of the cinematographic works must be requested from the rights holder (producer or distributor). SIAE, the Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori that is in charge of protecting copyright in Italy, requires payment only for the soundtrack, and the cost depends on the number of seats available at the screening location according to the rate table that SIAE updates every year.