French Cinema Guilds Declare Solidarity With WGA & SAG-AFTRA Strikes

Melanie Goodfellow
·2 min read

French cinema guilds L’Arp and La SRF have put out a joint statement declaring solidarity with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Many of the demands around value sharing and A.I. regulation of the Hollywood writers and actors, who went on strike on May 2 and July 14 respectively, chime with long-running battles of the two organizations in France.

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“This double social movement, a first since 1960 in Hollywood, is the sign of a major turning point, where the issues of value sharing, the integration of new models and artificial intelligence are central,” the bodies in a joint statement, issued on Thursday.

“At the heart of these demands, is the future of our sector. To guarantee that authors and artists continue to emerge and renew creation, we must on the one hand adapt value-sharing to new distribution models, so that the transition from linear does not lead to a weakening of creators,” it continued.

“Artificial intelligence must also be regulated. This can only present opportunities for our sector if the central place of authors and artists is preserved.”

The bodies said that the battle going in Hollywood, would have repercussions for film and TV professionals around the world.

“This fight that shapes the industry of tomorrow crosses borders and is also ours. We will continue our action for a fair sector, where the diversity of creation can flourish,” they said.

L’Arp was founded in 1987, by late filmmaker and producer Claude Berri with the support of iconic French cinema names such as Agnès Varda, Patrice Chéreau and Costa Gavras to represent the interests of writers, directors and producers.

Intouchables co-director Olivier Nakache is currently co-president of the 200-strong member association alongside Jeanne Herry (All Your Faces) with support of vice-presidents Pierre Jolivet, Nathalie Marchak and Radu Mihaileanu and other board members including Nicolas Bary, Christian Carion and Venice Golden Lion winner Audrey Diwan.

La SRF (La Société des réalisatrices et réalisateurs de films) has its roots in France’s social protests of 1968.

It represents 500 filmmakers and also oversees Cannes Directors’ Fortnight sidebar.

It is currently led by co-presidents Thomas Bidegain, Frédéric Farrucci and Eléonore Weber, with support from vice-president Cédric Klapisch, co-secretaries Antoine Barraud and Axelle Ropert and treasurer Romain Cogitore.

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