Approval Guidelines for Films and Photos

The Archdiocese of Munich and Freising supports journalists and filmmakers and, where possible, approves filming in church buildings and on church grounds. However, restrictions apply, particularly in churches, chapels, and cemeteries.

Churches are sacred spaces
Catholic churches and chapels are considered sacred spaces due to the rite of consecration and are used for worship, prayer, and personal devotion. Cemeteries are also primarily used for prayer and remembrance. The dignity of these places must be preserved during filming. Disturbances should be avoided as far as possible. Catholic beliefs must not be caricatured, nor may views that deviate significantly from Catholic beliefs be disseminated. Furthermore, defamatory and offensive statements must be avoided, especially in interviews. It is not possible to use churches and chapels as mere backdrops, for example for interviews or scenes without any relevant content.

Permission for filming is always granted by the owner of the property rights, usually the priest who heads the parish in question. However, permission is subject to a content review and approval by the Archdiocese. Written approval is granted by the press office, which is also available for consultation in connection with filming. 

Usage fees and costs
All expenses incurred, for example for supervision, electricity, and cleaning, shall be borne by the production company. The owner of the property rights is free to charge a fee for filming, especially in the case of fictional films. The production company shall be liable for any damage caused during filming. It must maintain business liability insurance in line with industry standards.

Use of camera drones
When using camera drones in outdoor areas, aviation regulations apply. All necessary official or private law approvals, authorizations, or permits must be obtained at your own responsibility and expense. In particular, drones are not permitted to fly over crowds of people or uninvolved persons. All provisions of aviation law must be observed at your own responsibility. 

Private recordings
There are no costs and no permit is required for simple, purely private recordings. These photos and videos taken with a cell phone or small camera may be published on private, non-commercial websites and social media accounts. No artificial lighting, reflectors, ladders, platforms, tripods, telescopes, microphones, boom poles, or similar aids may be used during production. Purely private photos and film recordings may not be used commercially. They may not be transferred to image and stock agencies. Photo shoots, for example for wedding photos, may be subject to a fee and require permission. 

Church buildings
Please note: Additional guidelines apply to photo and filming requests concerning parish centers, Freising Cathedral Hill and Diocesan Museum, Fürstenried Retreat House, Beuerberg Monastery, St. Rupert's House in Traunstein with observatory, and St. Nikolaus Educational Center in Rosenheim. We will be happy to provide you with these guidelines if interested.

Review of requests
Journalists and filmmakers are requested to contact the press office as early as possible by email at pressestelle@eomuc.de and provide a brief and concise description of their project. Please include the client, title, a brief summary of the content, planned location and time of filming, size of the team, and contact details. For fictional films, the script must also be submitted; for documentaries, the script or a detailed concept must be submitted.

Your contact:
Lisa Schmaus, Editor
pressestelle@eomuc.de

1. Editorial films
 Permission is generally granted for film shoots in the context of journalistic and editorial reporting. In exceptional cases, permission may be refused, for example in the case of non-public events, suspicion of dubious reporting, or for reasons of privacy protection.
 
2. Documentary films
 Permission is generally granted for documentary films. In exceptional cases, permission may be refused, for example in cases of suspected unprofessional reporting, for reasons of privacy protection, or if the overall concept of the project is inadequate. The same rules apply to reenacted scenes in documentary films as to fictional films.

3. Fiction films
 Permission is generally granted for filming fiction films if they show scenes that are typical for the location in question, such as a wedding ceremony, personal prayer, or pastoral conversation in a church. The entire script is reviewed in each case. Permission may be refused if scenes related to Catholic beliefs are unrealistic or clichéd, if they are satirical, if a connection to real persons could be established, if the concept of the project as a whole is flawed, or if the project is ethically questionable. For church locations such as parish centers, approval may also be granted for a reinterpretation in another building. In any case, the film script must be submitted.
 
4. Tourist films
 Approval is usually granted for filming tourist films that present travel destinations.
 
5. Advertising films
 Filming for advertising purposes is generally not possible. Approval may be granted in exceptional cases, for example for filming from a church tower, for filming in an open area, or if it is a reference to a product used in church premises or work carried out in church premises. Approval may also be granted for image films for local authorities, for charitable projects, or for projects that are in line with the Catholic Church.

6. Photography
 The guidelines apply accordingly to photography. If the photographs are to be used in an art-historical context, for example for an art guide, a picture book, or an exhibition, permission must be obtained from the Archdiocese's Department of Art, which can be contacted by email at kunst@eomuc.de.