BAFTA will be distributing secure DVD players and encrypted discs to judges reviewing films for this year's awards.

The organisation's American counterpart, AMPAS, has reached a similar agreement with the same company, Cinea. Both BAFTA and AMPAS are deploying the technology to prevent discs distributed to judges for reviewing purposes being pirated and shared on the Internet.

"We are very pleased to be working with Cinea to give our members the opportunity to receive secure screeners," said David Parfitt, chairman of BAFTA's Film Committee. "The British Academy takes the threat of piracy very seriously, and we welcome any solution that can reduce the risk of unauthorized copying."

The DVDs will be encrypted using Cinea's S-View system and will only play in Cinea's SV300 DVD player.

"Securing award consideration screeners has been a critical problem for our customers and the industry for some time," said Rob Schumann, Cinea's general manager. "Cinea is delighted to offer a solution that secures filmmakers' content throughout the screener distribution process."

The Orange British Academy Film Awards are scheduled to take place on February 12, 2005 in London, with the ceremony being televised on BBC One.