Is Recording A Small Video Clip of a Film During Screening Legal?

Hello friends!

Although I ain't a fan of any copyright, IPR or piracy laws; I'd like to solicit your help in the following matter.

It so happened that a friend of mine went to a film premiere in Los Angeles some days back. I was also involved in a small scene in that film.

After watching the film, my friend got very excited as she liked the film very much. She told me that my scene too came out very very well and the film is successful in giving out a very effective message.

Before going to the film premiere, she sent me the link to the official website of the film which had some of my photographs displayed on its home page.

Okay, it was all good up to this point. But today, she went to another screening event of the same film in the same State. And what she did was to video record all the scenes that included me in the film and shared the video clip with me.

She wants to know how I find my own video footage in the film. Now I'm perplexed about it. I've heard that copyright and piracy laws are very stringent in USA and UK. Many theaters don't even allow you to carry any camcorder or wearable devices with you.

Even in India, Copyright Act has a provision for imprisonment up to 3 years with a penalty of up to 200,000 INR for such an act.

I guess, laws must be far more stringent in USA. But perhaps, every State in USA has its own law.

So is it true such laws don't apply in L.A. / California?

Even if it doesn't, won't it be a punishable act if I possess or watch such a video clip in India?

I haven't watched that video clip yet though my friend is still waiting to get my feedback on it. I haven't communicated to her of my legal dilemma as it can make her angry. But perhaps she will get angry anyway as I haven't responded in time and that will surely spoil her excitement and efforts made to record it.

Honestly, I ain't very excited to watch my own video. The film will be available on DVDs and USBs in a few months and there is a possibility of a screening in my city too. So I can watch it later too.

Frankly, I haven't watched that video clip yet. So can you enlighten me on the implications of such an act? What is the best course of action for me, and how and what should I communicate to my friend?

Thanks in advance!