Federal Film and Audiovisual Act

On 22 May 2026, the Federal Film and Audiovisual Act was published, replacing the previous Federal Cinematography Act of 1992 and regulating, throughout the country, the production, distribution, promotion, exhibition and preservation of cinematographic and audiovisual works, including feature films, series and content distributed via digital video-on-demand platforms.

Among its main objectives are the preservation of the national film heritage, ensuring access to these works for everyone, and protecting freedom of expression and cultural diversity. Consequently, the Act recognises various rights for individuals: access to cinematographic works under optimal conditions of picture, sound and subtitling; a prohibition on censoring, mutilating or cutting a work without the authorisation of the copyright holder; accessibility for people with visual or hearing impairments through audio-descriptive subtitles; and creative freedom to produce any type of work. It also establishes an age-rating system — AA, A, B and B15, which are for information purposes, and C and D, which are restrictive — enabling people to find out in advance about the content of a work and decide whether it is suitable for minors or other groups requiring priority protection.

Furthermore, the Act imposes specific rules on the film industry. To begin with, a film is considered a national production when at least 20 per cent of the economic rights are held by a relevant Mexican entity, or 10 per cent in the case of a film of national cultural interest, or when it arises from international co-production agreements. In this regard, cinemas are obliged to set aside 10 per cent of their total weekly screening time for national films, to keep each national release on the billboard for at least fourteen days, and to promote it with the same advance notice and on an equal footing as foreign works. Furthermore, distributors are prohibited from making the supply of films conditional, and cinema operators are prohibited from demanding undue payments in exchange for screening a film, whilst digital video-on-demand platforms operating in Mexico must provide a prominent and permanent section offering easy access to national films and audiovisual works included in their catalogue, as well as subtitles or dubbing in a national language.

Similarly, all cinematographic works must be distributed and screened under the same title under which they were authorised, without duplicating the title of another previously classified work, and prior to their commercial screening they must obtain authorisation and classification from the Ministry of the Interior; this is a federal procedure, valid indefinitely and applicable throughout the country.

Finally, the Act also addresses the preservation of cultural heritage and the promotion of the industry: producers must submit a copy of each authorised work to the National Film Archive Trust, and, through the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE) and the ‘Fomento al Cine Mexicano’ programme, financial and tax support is provided for production, distribution, preservation and film training, through public and transparent calls for proposals. As regards the responsible authorities, the Ministry of the Interior authorises and classifies works and monitors compliance with screen quotas; the Ministry of Culture and IMCINE promote national production; and the National Copyright Institute protects the copyright of works.

Those who fail to comply with these provisions may be penalised, depending on the offence and the competent authority, with a warning, the temporary or permanent closure of the cinema or cinema complex, or fines ranging from 500 to 15,000 times the daily value of the Unit of Measurement and Update, amounts which may be doubled in the event of a repeat offence. Finally, it should be noted that the Act came into force on the day following its publication, that is, on 23 May 2026, and that the Federal Executive has 180 working days to issue its Regulations, whilst the Ministry of the Interior has 220 working days to issue the guidelines and agreements arising from it.