Venice

SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland has confirmed the Guild is making preparations for independent productions to apply for interim agreements allowing actors to perform full publicity duties including red carpets and interviews.

The development comes as Venice announced its line-up and Toronto continues to roll out its progamme announcements – with both containing a number of high-profile independent selections.

“We’re making arrangements so that projects that have completed their principal photography can apply for an interim agreement,” Crabtree-Ireland told Screen on Tuesday.  “Our intention is to make interim agreements available for these projects as well.”

However Crabtree-Ireland said the Guild was in “triage” mode and would continue to prioritise interim agreements for projects where production had been substantially delayed.

High-profile independent features announced in Venice earlier on Tuesday include Michael Mann’s Ferrari (Neon) starring Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla (A24) Richard Linklater’s Hit Man with Glen Powell from Top Gun: Maverick, Michel Franco’s Memory, and Ava DuVernay’s Origin.

On Monday TIFF announced world premiere slots for Kate Winslet war photographer biopic Lee, Michael Keaton’s directing debut Knox Goes Away and Anna Kendrick’s directing debut on Woman Of The Hour, and Ethan Hawke’s Wildcat, among others.

Wildcat has already been granted an interim agreement to finish production. It gets its international premiere at TIFF and is expected to screen first at Telluride.

It remains to be see whether talent on independent features will perform promotional duties; some may prefer to sit out the fall festivals in solidarity with their striking SAG-AFTRA members.