A French collective representing the interests of French film festival workers has called for a general strike “of all employees of the Cannes Film Festival and those behind the scenes.”
The collective Under the screens la dèche launched this call on Monday in a press release.
The group has long sounded the alarm about the precarious nature of work at film festivals, which typically involves short-term freelance contracts. But unlike other so-called middle workers in the entertainment industry, many festival workers are not covered by the French unemployment insurance program, meaning they are not eligible for unemployment benefits between jobs. or projects.
Under the Screens noted that the latest round of benefits reforms, set to be implemented on July 1, will further tighten the rules for employees.
“These reforms plunge festival-goers into such precariousness that the majority of us will have to give up our jobs, thus jeopardizing the events in which we participate,” the group said.
So far, the group said, the Cannes festival, the French Ministry of Culture and the CNC, have welcomed workers’ concerns “with polite consideration.” [but] no concrete measures have been proposed. This is why the upcoming opening of the Cannes Film Festival leaves us with a bitter taste.”
A strike could disrupt the Cannes Film Festival, which begins May 14 and runs through May 25, as well as associated ancillary activities including Directors’ Fortnight, Critics’ Week and ACID Cannes. The 12-day event includes star-studded premieres of highly anticipated films like George Miller Furiosa: A Mad Max sagathat of Francis Ford Coppola Megalopolisand Kevin Costner’s western epic Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1.
The Under the Screens La Dèche movement enjoys considerable support within the French industry. On the red carpet of his Palme d’Or-winning film Anatomy of a fall last year, French filmmaker Justine Triet and Anatomy Actor Swann Arlaud pinned the group’s bright red button on their lapels. Strike or not, expect to see a lot more Pines Under the Screens on the red carpet this year.
The Hollywood Reporter has contacted the Cannes Film Festival for comment.
You can read the full press release from Under the Screens below.
For a year now, we, members of Sous les screens, have been losing
Screens), warn of the growing precariousness of
people working at film festivals.
We go from short-term missions to periods of unemployment and despite the
intermittent nature of our profession and our effort for the circulation of
cinematographic work, our activity does not fall under the status of French intermittent
benefits plan for show business workers!
The latest reforms of unemployment compensation in France and that planned for
July 1st of this year, which will have passed…
