Film News Roundup: California Delays Proposal to Lure Shoots From Anti-Abortion States

Dave McNary

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In today’s film news roundup, California has put the brakes on a tax credit that would have lured productions from anti-abortion states, “63 Up” gets a U.S. release, and “The Assistant” gets a partnership.

LEGISLATIVE DELAY

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A proposed California tax credit to attract productions that leave states implementing fetal heartbeat anti-abortion legislation has been delayed.

The bill, which would cover five years with a $50 million annual allocation, was paused before a hearing Friday before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Los Angeles Assembly member Luz Rivas authored Assembly Bill 1442, which has been dubbed the “Share Our Values” bill, and said the legislation could be revisited once she is able to meet with stakeholders about their concerns.

“As the nation grapples with callous policies to dismantle a woman’s access to reproductive health, AB 1442 confirms California stands with women,” Rivas said. “This bill brought a necessary and important discussion on women’s rights back to the forefront. At the request of industry stakeholders, I have decided to hold AB 1442 to work on this proposal over the interim break in order to give stakeholders ample ability to have discussions and the chance to stand with women.”

California’s Film and Television Tax Credit program has a current annual allocation of $330 million — which was tripled in size in 2014 to compete effectively with New York and Georgia, then extended a year ago to 2025 with a credit of up to 25% of qualified expenditures spent in California. The program is overseen by the California Film Commission.

Feature films covered under the California program have included “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “Captain Marvel,” and “Bumblebee.” Showtime’s “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” became the 16th television series to relocate to California and receive the credit. Georgia is among the states that has approved anti-abortion legislation, which goes into effect next year if it survives a court challenge. Disney and Netflix have threatened to stop producing in Georgia if that happens.

U.S. RELEASE

BritBox, the joint-venture streaming service from BBC & ITV, has set the U.S. theatrical release of the feature documentary “63 Up,” directed by Michael Apted.

The film is the ninth iteration of the series that launched in 1964 as “7 Up” with a focus on the lives of 14 British children. “63 Up” is having its world premiere at this week’s Telluride Film Festival, and will open in New York on Nov. 27 at the Film Forum and on Dec. 6 at the Landmark’s Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles. The film will be opening in additional markets in December including Washington D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and more.

“This film truly represents a life’s work — 56 years in the making, and I feel that Telluride is the ideal setting to launch it ahead of our release this fall,” Apted said.

The films have been shot every seventh year and are premised on whether or not our adult lives are pre-determined by earliest influences and by the social class in which we are raised.

PARTNERSHIP

The filmmakers, producers, and financiers behind Kitty Green’s “The Assistant” have announced the film’s partnership with The New York Women’s Foundation.

The alliance calls for 10% of their profits from the film set aside to support The Foundation’s grantmaking to women-led, community-based organizations that promote the economic security, safety, and health of women and families in New York City, where the film was made.

“The Assistant” is a fictional account of one day in the life of a recent college graduate and aspiring film producer, who has recently landed her dream job as a junior assistant to a powerful entertainment mogul. Julia Garner (“Ozark”) is in the title role of a woman who sees abuse that insidiously colors every aspect of her work day.

 

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