IATSE Gets Show of Solidarity From International Unions as Contract Talks Kick Off: ‘Your Fight Is Our Fight’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Studio negotiators have been talking for nearly a month with the largest union representing Hollywood film crews, and have still not tackled most of the major issues on the table. The two sides have set an unusually long bargaining schedule, hoping that more talking on minor matters will build good will and lower the risk of another crippling strike this summer. In the last couple of weeks, negotiators have chalked up a handful of wins, shaking on six tentative agreements with local IATSE unions.

Priceless artworks gifted to the people of Bury will be protected after a museum was granted almost £600,000 for urgent repairs. Last month Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre warned that paintings and other works were at risk of being damaged by water passing through the leaky roof.

EXCLUSIVE: The first days of spring are seeing labor peace bloom in Hollywood.

Carolyn Giardina With negotiations underway for a new three-year Basic Agreement between IATSE and AMPTP, the International Cinematographers Guild (Local 600)c—cthe largest of the 13 IATSE Locals that work under this contract — has reached a tentative deal on its local-specific issues for its camera and publicist members, according to a Wednesday night memo obtained by Variety. Meanwhile, Motion Picture Editors Guild (Local 700) begins its member-specific negotiations today.

French commercial broadcast giant TF1 is taking its streaming service international. CEO Rodolphe Belmer told Series Mania on Thursday that TF1+ will start rolling out in the middle of this year before a wider series of launches in 2025.

The eagerly anticipated musical Come From Away is coming to The Lowry Theatre.

It's the first international break of the year as Celtic's domestic season goes on ice until March 31.

Back at the bargaining table with the studios this week after several days of caucusing, IATSE today laid out their plans for the next phase of talks as the contract expiration date inched closer and closer for a tense Tinseltown.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer IATSE resumed negotiations with the major studios on Monday, with a day spent focused on items relevant to the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600. IATSE began talks earlier this month, as it seeks to address artificial intelligence, see wage increases to make up for inflation, and close a significant shortfall in its pension and health fund. With more than 9,000 active members, the ICG is the largest of the IATSE locals involved in bargaining.

Valerie Wu Intern Disney+ subscribers’ wish has come true, as the Mouse House’s latest animated movie will soon be available to stream. It will begin streaming April 3. “Wish” takes place in the magical kingdom of Rosas, where everyone carries their own “wish” around with them.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck’s documentary “Eternal You” is set to be theatrical released by Dogwoof in the U.K. and Farbfilm in Germany. The buzzed-about documentary explores ways that AI is being used by help people cope with grief, allowing them to interact with avatars of their deceased loved ones.

The premiere date for Doctor Who is here!

The story shocked the world 10 years ago: the Copenhagen Zoo’s decision to euthanize a healthy two-year-old giraffe named Marius because they considered it a “surplus animal.” CNN reported on it. So did Le Monde in France, the U.K.’s Guardian and The Independent, and the Irish Times.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Prime Video is diving into genre in the Nordics with a new slate of shows, including the Swedish mystery crime series “Blind Spot” starring Ida Engvoll (“Love & Anarchy”) and Pål Sverre Hagen (“Furia”), and Henrik Georgsson (“The Bridge“)’s dystopian thriller “VAKA,” starring Emmy-award nominated Jonas Karlsson and Aliette Opheim. Based on Anne Holt’s best-selling novel “1222” which revolves around the character of Hanne Wilhelmsen, a sharp and dark-minded police officer. The series, penned by celebrated author Sara Heldt (“Sandhamn Murders”) together with Erik Skjoldberg (“Occupied”), follows Hanne who finds herself sheltered in an isolated mountain hotel after a train crash and starts investigating on mysterious murders even though she’s been temporarily suspended from the police.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent “Good Girls” is getting an Arabic version, marking the first international adaptation of the Universal Television show about three moms embarking on a life of crime. Titled “Lunch Box,” the Arabic “Good Girls” redo features Egyptian stars Ghada Adel, Jamila Awad and Fadwa Abed in the main roles as three women — two sisters and their friend — who, faced with sudden economic hardship, decide to pull an unlikely heist. Just like in the U.S.

Warner Bros/Legendary Entertainment’s Dune: Part Two held strongly in its sophomore session at the international box office, adding $81M to handily cross the $200M overseas milestone, and reaching $367.5M globally.

Carolyn Giardina In advance of Friday’s 61st annual International Cinematographers Guild (Local 600) Publicists Awards luncheon, the Guild gathered several nominees who spoke with Variety about their favorite campaigns, issues that will affect them during IATSE‘s contract negotiations, and how they embraced “the art of the pivot” during a challenging year. The luncheon, which also raises funds for the Guild’s scholarship fund, will be held Friday at the Beverly Wilshire hotel. It’s an exciting but rapidly changing time to work in publicity, says Chris Garcia Nutley of Warner Bros.

After four days of joint talks with the studios over health and pension benefits, IATSE, the Teamsters and other Hollywood Crafts will take next week to “caucus” and return to negotiations with the AMPTP on March 18.

J. Kim Murphy The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and Hollywood’s major studios have concluded their first week of talks Thursday evening, with both parties planning to resume negotiations for a new union contract on March 18. The IATSE Basic Agreement Negotiating Committee, which represents IATSE, Teamsters 399 and the Hollywood Basic Crafts, proposed the new agreement to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on Monday.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer IATSE and the Hollywood Basic Crafts unions opened bargaining on Monday by making their proposals on pension and health items. The first day of bargaining followed a massive rally on Sunday, at which union leaders warned of a sequel to last year’s Hot Labor Summer if no deal is reached by the July 31 contract deadline. The talks started at 2 p.m.