The opening night of the Cannes Film Festival faced disruptions due to protests by workers over labor issues.
On Tuesday in Cannes, France, film festival staff protested while heading to the gala, brandishing signs. Their demonstration was captured on video, though authorities temporarily restricted filming of the event. It’s somewhat inconsistent; sometimes filming is allowed, sometimes it isn’t.
The protest extended to the convention center’s roof but was quickly shut down by armed police. The protesters were linked to an informal union called Sue Leclin la Deque, which represents about 300 festival workers across France.
Workers voiced their concerns regarding exclusion from specific unemployment benefits, particularly as they were given short-term contracts right before the festival’s opening. This isn’t the first time; staff protested last year, advocating for inclusion in the unemployment insurance program for entertainment workers and engineers.
The program, known as intermittence de Spectacle, offers taxpayer-funded unemployment benefits to individuals in industries that are publicly funded. However, many festival employees find themselves excluded due to the regulations surrounding their temporary contracts.
As the festival kicked off, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry commented on the ongoing debate around whether a woman should take on the role of James Bond, expressing her reservations about that idea.
The festival will continue until May 24th.
