Protected
The Secret Life of Bees
2008 · Fox Searchlight Pictures · Dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood
Set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'The Secret Life of Bees' was released in 2008, which falls under the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988 (and subsequently the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998). For all US works published after March 1, 1989, copyright protection is automatic upon creation without the requirement of a copyright notice or registration.
As a work-for-hire produced for Fox Searchlight Pictures, the term of protection is 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter. Therefore, the film will remain under US copyright protection until at least January 1, 2104. A search of the United States Copyright Office online database (cocatalog.loc.gov) confirms the registration of the motion picture (PA0001614271) by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- https://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=1&ti=1,1&Search_Arg=The%20Secret%20Life%20of%20Bees&Search_Code=TALL&CNT=25&REC=0&RD=0&RC=0&SET=1&PID=u6I39kP3_V3Z6nC9YyX-O5E6_&SEQ=20240522101522&SID=1
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416212/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Life_of_Bees_(film)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.