AMAC complains to Hoyts regarding naming of The ‘Macedonian’ Film Festival
and use of Vergina Sun
The Australian Macedonian Advisory Council (AMAC) would like to express its
disappointment at Hoyts Cinemas illegally using a registered trademark on their
website to promote this year’s ‘Macedonian’ Film Festival in Melbourne to which
they do not possess exclusive rights. The festival is running from 21-24 October,
screening at Northland and Melbourne Central Hoyts.
The registered trade mark used is the symbol known as the Vergina Sun; an eight,
twelve or sixteen-pointed solar pictogram registered with the World Intellectual
Property Organisation as a trade mark of the Hellenic Republic:
(see http://www.wipo.int/ipdl/en/6ter/key.jsp?KEY=GR1).
While AMAC welcomes artistic ventures and festivals promoting the cultural
diversity of Australia, it disapproves of the unauthorised use of intellectual property
and misappropriation of Greek heritage to promote any event.
The use of this symbol on the Hoyts website is offensive to Melbourne’s Greek
community, given it is part of its cultural heritage.
One instance of its use by Hoyts can be seen at the following web address:
http://www.hoyts.com.au/Movies/Events/Melbourne_Macedonian_Film_Festival_201
0.aspx
AMAC has made a complaint to Hoyts requesting that they remove this symbol from
their website and any other promotional material pertaining to the promotion of The
‘Macedonian’ Film Festival 2010.
AMAC has also complained to Hoyts regarding its incorrect use of the term
‘Macedonian’ to describe the film festival. The term can only correctly be used to
describe something relating to the Greek province of Macedonia, and not relating to
the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as this film festival does.
AMAC awaits a response to its concerns.
Press contact:
Phone: 0405713854
Email: info@macedonians.com.au
Website: www.macedonian.com.au
Address: P.O Box 119 Abbotsford VIC 3067
