I?m a film buff and I?ve come to realize that there are a great number
of worthwhile foreign films that were never subtitled in English, or
made available in the US, where we see just the tip of the iceberg.
Many films, from Italy, Germany, Japan and elsewhere, by well-regarded
directors, never get here.  I?d like to obtain appropriate rights to
some of these films, create subtitles, convert them to DVDs, and copy
and sell them via the internet. Though I?d need to at least break
even, I?d be doing this for the public good, not to make a profit. I
wouldn?t imagine that any single title would sell more than a few
dozen, or at most a few hundred copies. I?d convert the films and
produce the DVDs as diligently as possible, but I?d be aiming for a
?low tech? product, for example DVD-Rs with photocopied artwork.

I have a number of questions, and I?d appreciate whatever advice or
guidance anyone can give. (Please forgive my almost complete lack of
knowledge of this area.)

+ How do I locate the current rights-holder to a film? There doesn?t
seem to be any central registry or clearinghouse. I?ve contacted the
Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (mplc.com), but they only act as
a clearinghouse for exhibition rights, not for reproduction and sale
rights.

+ Would a rights-holder be willing to deal with a micro operation such
as I?m contemplating?

+ What fee or royalty would a rights-holder expect to receive?

+ If the film has been previously released on VHS or DVD in the native
country, would I be able to get the right to start with that, rather
than, say, the negative?

+ If no rights holder can be found, would it ever be legitimate to
consider a film orphaned or abandoned, and make copies? (I?d keep sale
records, and would be prepared to pay royalties should a rights-holder
later emerge.) Or would this simply be regarded as piracy?

+ What?s the most economical way to translate film dialog into
English? Are there any overseas firms that do this cheaply?

+ Are there other significant hurdles, or any other questions that I
should be asking?

Thanks for any help!