An organization representing freelance festival workers is calling for a strike during the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
Called Sous les écrans la dèche (Broke Behind the Screens), the org is protesting against a looming labor reform that will see their unemployment indemnities slashed by more than half. The org brings together hundreds of workers at festivals, from projectionists to drivers and caterers, who are threatening to strike during Cannes which could potentially cause major disruptions.
France has a unique system which allows freelance workers within the film and TV industries to receive benefits – or indemnities — during their unemployment periods. These benefits are only accessible to those who have worked a certain number of hours in the year.
Jean-Charles Canu, the longtime publicist of Cannes’ Directors Fortnight who is a prominent…
