Press release: 165 European screenwriters and directors call on the European Parliament to adopt the Copyright Directive
On the occasion of the 75th Venice International Film Festival, 165 screenwriters and directors across Europe have come together in the “Venice Declaration” to call on the European Parliament
to adopt legislation that puts authors at the heart of copyright and of the European cultural and creative industries, including online.
On 12 September, the members of the European Parliament will adopt the Parliament’s position on the draft Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. After several delays, this vote is the last chance for a final adoption of this much-needed Directive before the European elections. It will determine the future for audiovisual authors; if they will have a chance to receive fair and proportionate remuneration for the use of their works across the EU in a near future or if will they be left behind for another decade.
Filmmakers in Venise selections Jacques Audiard, Joachim Lafosse, Mike Leigh, Laszlo Nemes and Pierre Schoeller, EP LUX Film Prize finalists Benedikt Erlingsson, Wolfgang Fischer and Mila Turajlic, as well as Iciar Bollaín, Costa-Gavras, Matteo Garrone, Agnieszka Holland, Daniele Luchetti, Laura Morante, Cristian Mungiu, Sir Alan Parker, Stefan Ruzowitzky, Lone Scherfig, Volker Schlondörff, Paolo Sorrentino, Paweł Pawlikowski, Bertrand Tavernier, Paolo Taviani, Fernando Trueba, Margarethe von Trotta and many others across Europe signed the Venice Declaration. Most of them already signed the FERA/FSE/SAA petition supported today by more than 18,700 signatories from over 100 countries worldwide.
Quote
“We, audiovisual authors, absolutely need this Directive to be adopted on time: to ensure freedom of expression and independence of creators as well as authors’ rights. The principle of fair and proportionate remuneration, improved measures on the transparency of the exploitation and contract adjustment mechanism will make a big difference. With these provisions, the Directive will improve our position in the industry.”
Read the full declaration here.
Notes to Editors
FERA - Founded in 1980, the Federation of European Film Directors gathers 36 director’s associations as members from 27 countries. It speaks for more than 20,000 European film and TV directors, representing their cultural, creative and economic interests at national and EU level. FERA EU Transparency Register Id No. 29280842236-21. @Film_directors
Press: Pauline Durand- Vialle, pdv@filmdirectors.eu +32 491 52 49 04.
FSE - The Federation of Screenwriters in Europe is a network of national and regional associations, guilds and unions of writers for the screen in Europe, created in June 2001. It comprises 25 members from 20 countries, representing more than 7,000 writers in Europe. @ScreenwritersEU
Press: David Kavanagh, info@scenaristes.org +353 86 837 1203.
SAA - The Society of Audiovisual Authors is the association of European collective management organisations representing audiovisual authors. Its 32 members in 24 countries manage rights for over 138,000 film, television and multimedia European screenwriters and directors. @saabrussels
Press: Annica Ryngbeck, a.ryngbeck@saa-authors.eu +32 475 66 95 94.