Since November, no movie nights have been held at North Providence High School. After years of hosting movie nights with no problems, an issue about copyrights arose
this school year.

To the surprise of many, a double-feature showing of the Maze Runner: Scorch Trials and A Christmas Story hosted by SADD was cancelled in December after complications arose about whether the proper copyright licenses were in place to show the films.

According to Ms. Bozigian, co-administrator of Project Close Up, a prominent host of movie nights as fundraisers at the high school, a new license created this year affects “educational and nonprofit organizations who wish to show movies for Movie Nights and fundraisers.” Now, it is required for schools to have licenses in order to show movies in front of large audiences. Prior to this, clubs would only need to fill out the correct forms by the school department regarding use of the auditorium and holding a fundraiser.

Movies in the classroom however are not affected by the issue of obtaining a license. As long as a teacher shows their own original version of a film, not a bootlegged version, it is considered “face to face” viewing similar to home viewing.

Currently, the school is in the works for purchasing the license for next year’s use which is when Project Close Up plans on resuming Movie Nights. Until then, Project Close Up will be holding two car washes this year in the spring.