Polish ‘People’s Oskars’ Stir Up Hollywood

The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recently sent a cease and desist letter to a Polish folk arts association after discovering that the association has been handing out awards called ‘The People’s Oskars’.

In their letter to Waldemar Majcher, head of Poland’s Association of Folk Artists, the Academy lawyers insist that the verbal trademark Oscar is “inseparably associated with the Academy Awards” and that a Polish law adopted in the year 2000 guarantees its protection in Poland.

The Polish association claims the Academy’s demands are unfounded and that the award is named after Oskar Kolberg (1814-1890), a renowned Polish ethnographer, folklorist and composer.

Majcher stated that he was impressed the Academy even managed to discover his humble association, which has been handing out ‘The People’s Oskars’ – metal plaques with engraved images of Jesus – to local artists, museums and festivals for the last 10 years. He added that a team of lawyers is preparing a response to defend the use of the name.

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Source: Polskie Radio news portal