Public Domain Status

film ยท first published 1918

The Waybacks (1918), Philip Lytton

Work with a publication date of 1918 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 2014-01-01 (1 January 2014), under us-published-maximum-term-expired.

United Kingdom: Probably public domain. The calculated public-domain date is 2020-01-01 (1 January 2020), in less than one month, under uk-film-last-author-70.

European Union: Probably public domain. The calculated public-domain date is 2020-01-01 (1 January 2020), in less than one month, under eu-film-last-author-70.

Canada: Public domain since 2000-01-01 (1 January 2000), under ca-non-revival-life-50.

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

Japan: Public domain since 1989-01-01 (1 January 1989), under jp-film-publication-70.

JurisdictionStatusPublic domain dateConfidence
United StatesPublic domain2014-01-01derived
United KingdomProbably public domain2020-01-01low
European UnionProbably public domain2020-01-01low
CanadaPublic domain2000-01-01derived
AustraliaUnknownNot enough informationlow
JapanPublic domain1989-01-01derived

Rule trace

How we got there

United Statesus-published-maximum-term-expired
  1. The work was first published in 1918.
  2. Even if every available extension or restoration applied, the maximum 95-year publication term has ended.
  3. The public domain date is 2014-01-01 (1 January 2014).

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

United Kingdomuk-film-last-author-70
  1. The last recorded relevant film author died in 1949.
  2. The film term gives 2020-01-01 (1 January 2020).

Source: UK Intellectual Property Office, duration of copyright

European Unioneu-film-last-author-70
  1. The last recorded relevant film author died in 1949.
  2. The film term gives 2020-01-01 (1 January 2020).

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

Canadaca-non-revival-life-50
  1. The last relevant creator died in 1949.
  2. The work had already entered the public domain before the 2022 term extension and was not revived.
  3. The public domain date is 2000-01-01 (1 January 2000).

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 1918.
  2. The 70-year term gives 1989-01-01 (1 January 1989).

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