The definition of what is a film in Polish and Swedish law has been evolving over the years since the emergence of the phenomenon of moving pictures that give the illusion of vivid images. The development of copyright and its international codification in the form of conventions gave the definition of film an international character. In their legislation, Poland and Sweden have introduced protection for the film work, drawing inspiration from the definitions contained in the conventions. The current law protecting a film work redefines the film taking into account the rapid development of works containing moving pictures.