Is sharing a movie copyright infringement?

[Kojak]

If you benefit /profit from the showing.....YES.....it is copyright infringement

If you own the film or rent it and show it for "free".... no personal gain.....NO infringement

FRIED KITTEN..... BS..... The difference in the examples you gave.....showing a film at place of business.....such as a school.....is "making a profit"..... it can be argued you are making attending that school more attractive....ergo increasing tuition profits (non-public schools are "businesses")

you can show a film / DVD to as many people as you want as long as you do not "profit"......a copyright infringement lawsuit for showing a film or DVD to a bunch of friends...... would be thrown out of court..... wont happen

As to HULU.....if anyone would be arrested / sued.....it would be the HULU people....NOT the viewers
there is no law against YOU watching or owning pirated DVDs or films.....ONLY on profiting from them

BCNU..... Please site one incident where ANYONE who possessed or showed a bootlegged copy of anything was prosecuted..... they prosecute DEALERS....and those using bootleg copies for financial gain (direct or indirect)..... Unless I foolishly acknowledged "knowing" something was a bootleg they would have a hard time proving I "knew" it was a bootleg copy...... possession of "stolen goods" would be an impossible charge to sustain in court..... it would be a Pryyric victory for the government to even attempt to pursue that course legally..... I an half the other people in my little community have dozens of pirated DVDS on my shelf..... If the mere possession of a pirated DVD were a crime.....half my community would be in jail....... Pirated DVDs are sold daily by street vendors..... none of them go to jail..... I have seen authorities confiscate entire flea market stores...... but no customer was ever arrested or charged..... not practical

EDIT..... There is a nuance here you fail to appreciate..... something may be against the law.....BUT if the law is not enforced...... in effect .... it is not against the law
In my city it is against the law to pee in public..... but everybody pees in public.....I have even seen police officers peeing in public..... so in effect.....there is no crime if you are not punished

You were disingenuous.... the people sued were conducting wide distribution of copyrighted material to EVERYONE..... not just to family members or close friends..... they were distributing copyright material as party favors to "new" friends..... in effect they were networking and "profiting" ...they got free copyrighted material in exchange..... they PROFITED

I never said you could not be prosecuted.....I said they wont bother..... it is an action that will cost more than it is worth...... I can draw a picture of "Mickey Mouse" and put it on my wall....technically that is copyright infringement.... BUT no one will take me to court.....BUT if I use that drawing to convert my home into a day care center.....use that image to get business.....Disney will shut me down..... THEY HAVE TO...... the same reason you will never read in a book where a character uses a kleenex to wipe his nose..... it is always a "facial tissue"..... I can use the word kleenex all I want without fear..... but make a profit from it..... and you very probably will be sued