Our Licensing & Compliance Framework
Things have changed significantly since The Flicks started in 2009 — and for the better.
While our early days in 2009 involved sourcing pirated DVDs from the Russian Market for nightly screenings, today The Flicks operates under a strict, fully compliant, and professional licensing framework.
We are deeply committed to upholding international intellectual property standards while championing independent cinema in Phnom Penh.
Whenever we play newly released material—such as A Private Life (produced by Les Films Velvet), Tony (distributed by A24), the latest François Ozon movie (distributed by Playtime), Ewan McGregor’s Bleeding Love (Sobini Films), The President’s Cake (Films Boutique), The Portuguese House (Bendita Films)Treasure (FilmNation) or the just-out-of-cinema Cambodian feature film and Cambodia’s entry to the 2027 Academy Awards,Becoming Human — The Flicks pays the proper screening fees directly to the production company or distributor for a limited, agreed number of screenings.
For all other titles, including vintage classics and hits from a decade or more ago, we screen movies using specific permission from foreign distributors backed by an official legal permit: an MPLC Blanket License (formerly known as an Umbrella License) from the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation.
This license is specifically designed for non-theatric and non-profit community settings, covering casual viewing and scheduled in-house movie events for a flat fee.
To bring our audience a curated, premium selection of films that cannot be found in mainstream multiplexes, our programming relies on a multi-tiered legal and cooperative framework:
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Cultural Embassy & Institutional Partnerships: We collaborate closely with cultural missions — including the Institut Français Cambodge, the Goethe-Institut, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (in Bangkok).” Through these partnerships, we screen officially sanctioned, culturally significant foreign-language films, retrospective pieces, and documentaries that promote global artistic exchange.
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MPLC Blanket & Independent Licenses: Our broader contemporary and library selections operate under specialized international non-theatrical and independent movie license umbrellas, such as the MPLC Blanket License. This allows our community movie theater environment to legally screen curated titles that fall outside traditional commercial distribution windows.
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Direct Studio & Filmmaker Consent: We believe in supporting creators. For new releases and special independent features, we reach out directly to production studios and filmmakers. By obtaining their explicit consent and arranging localized screening fees, we ensure that artists are respected and that our platform remains 100% compliant.
By combining direct studio support, institutional partnerships, and comprehensive blanket licensing, The Flicks ensures that our community space remains a vibrant, legal, and artist-friendly home for cinema. Whether you are dropping in for a recent festival darling, a rare documentary, or a timeless classic, you can enjoy your movie with the peace of mind that every screening directly respects and honors the creators behind the work.
If you have any questions about our screening methods or wish to connect with us, please feel free to reach out at info@theflickspp.com.