In principle, permission from the rights holder is required for the screening of films, regardless of whether or not admission is charged for the screening. Swiss copyright law makes an exception for teaching and classes: films may be shown without permission as part of a course.
Watching a movie together within a course is therefore possible. It doesn’t matter whether the lessons take place on site or digitally. Films can be shown that are available online via a streaming service or on DVD.
Online films that are offered via streaming services can also be used in asynchronous lessons. There are no legal restrictions to making them available via a link, for example on Ilias.
However, it is not allowed to make whole DVD films available online. Films on DVD that are commercially available may only ever be saved and made available online in excerpts. Saving entire films on Ilias is illegal. The right to show films relates to a class or a course, but not to making them available anywhere and at any time, e.g. on Ilias.
Recommendations
- for on-site teaching: both DVDs and films from streaming services
- for synchronous distance learning: both DVDs and films from
streaming services - for asynchronous distance learning: films from streaming services
The libraries are constantly endeavoring to add further streaming services suitable for universities to their offerings. Please contact your HSLU library with any questions you may have.
Helpful Links
https://ccdigitallaw.ch/index.php/german
https://www.suissimage.ch/news/news-aktuell