Public Domain Status

film ยท first published 1920

The Breaking of the Drought (1920), Bland Holt

Work with a publication date of 1920 and creator life dates recorded in Wikidata.

Public domain in the United States
Check before relying on this answer.
  • UK: The record does not identify the director, screenplay author, dialogue author and specially commissioned composer separately.
  • EU: The record does not identify the director, screenplay author, dialogue author and specially commissioned composer separately.
  • AU: Australian films made before 1969 require a title-level transitional-rule review.

Direct answer

Status by jurisdiction

United States: Public domain since 2016-01-01 (1 January 2016), under us-published-maximum-term-expired.

United Kingdom: Probably public domain. The calculated public-domain date is 2013-01-01 (1 January 2013), in less than one month, under uk-film-last-author-70.

European Union: Probably public domain. The calculated public-domain date is 2013-01-01 (1 January 2013), in less than one month, under eu-film-last-author-70.

Canada: Public domain since 1993-01-01 (1 January 1993), under ca-non-revival-life-50.

Australia: Unknown. A public-domain date cannot be calculated from the recorded facts.

Japan: Public domain since 1991-01-01 (1 January 1991), under jp-film-publication-70.

JurisdictionStatusPublic domain dateConfidence
United StatesPublic domain2016-01-01derived
United KingdomProbably public domain2013-01-01low
European UnionProbably public domain2013-01-01low
CanadaPublic domain1993-01-01derived
AustraliaUnknownNot enough informationlow
JapanPublic domain1991-01-01derived

Rule trace

How we got there

United Statesus-published-maximum-term-expired
  1. The work was first published in 1920.
  2. Even if every available extension or restoration applied, the maximum 95-year publication term has ended.
  3. The public domain date is 2016-01-01 (1 January 2016).

Source: U.S. Copyright Office, Duration of Copyright

United Kingdomuk-film-last-author-70
  1. The last recorded relevant film author died in 1942.
  2. The film term gives 2013-01-01 (1 January 2013).

Source: UK Intellectual Property Office, duration of copyright

European Unioneu-film-last-author-70
  1. The last recorded relevant film author died in 1942.
  2. The film term gives 2013-01-01 (1 January 2013).

Source: EUR-Lex, Directive 2006/116/EC

Canadaca-non-revival-life-50
  1. The last relevant creator died in 1942.
  2. The work had already entered the public domain before the 2022 term extension and was not revived.
  3. The public domain date is 1993-01-01 (1 January 1993).

Source: Government of Canada, Copyright Act

Australiaau-film-pre-1969-review
  1. Australian films made before 1969 require a title-level transitional-rule review.

Source: National Library of Australia, copyright duration

Japanjp-film-publication-70
  1. The film's applicable publication or creation year is 1920.
  2. The 70-year term gives 1991-01-01 (1 January 1991).

Source: Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs, copyright system

Practical scope

What this result does and does not cover

  • A public domain result supports reuse of the original expression covered by this record in the named jurisdiction.
  • Check translations, editions, arrangements, performances, recordings, restorations, artwork and adaptations separately.
  • Trademark, moral rights, privacy, publicity, contract and cultural heritage rules can still apply.

Evidence

Sources