"DogMan" Strikes SAG-AFTRA Deal, Heads for Venice Film Festival Spotlight

Luc Besson's upcoming film, "DogMan," is making headlines as one of the first movies to secure a Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) interim agreement that lets actors engage in press activities during the autumn festival season. With Venice Film Festival looming, the actors will now be able to promote the movie at its premiere. The cast list includes renowned actors like Caleb Landry Jones, Christopher Denham, Jojo T. Gibbs, and Marisa Berenson, although confirmation on who will attent the Venice premiere is still pending.

SAG-AFTRA introduced these interim agreements amidst a film industry abuzz with uncertainty upon the disclosure of films premiering at Venice and Toronto festivals. Predominantly, concerns were raised about whether independently financed films without AMPTP studios' support, like "DogMan," would be entitled to promote their films during festivals. These interim agreements certainly indicate a likely surge of similar deals offering promotion opportunities. Notably, "DogMan," lacking a significant distributor, squarely fits into the SAG-AFTRA guidelines for granting these agreements.

This development follows in the steps of other festival-bound films, including "The Unknown Country," led by Lily Gladstone, that earned an interim agreement for its North Dakota premiere last month. Applications for these promotional waivers opened for submission on the first day of the SAG-AFTRA strike, the 14th of July, and witnessed an immediate influx of hundreds of applications. In words of SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, projects with no "AMPTP fingerprints on them" stood a fair chance of being granted an agreement. Since the strike's commencement, 123 projects have secured an interim agreement. "DogMan" marks Luc Besson's directorial comeback since his 2019 film, "Anna."

Now, permit me to slip into my personal commentary mode. This isn't Besson's first rodeo; the maestro of cinema is back in the saddle after his 2019 directorial venture, and he already has us hooked with the offbeat title - “DogMan”. If anything, it reminds us of Besson's knack for intriguing narratives and his flair for the avant-garde.

The SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, though dressed up all bureaucratic, actually solves an age-old puzzle: how do indie films pierce the veil of Hollywood’s multi-million dollar promotional campaigns? Well, they now have a red thread through the labyrinth, giving them not just permission, but platform too.

The autumn festival season suddenly appears to promise a cornucopia of cinematic delights - indie films and blockbuster alike. The line between them is blurring, the fences are coming down, and the visiting list no longer remains limited only to those with brawny financial backing.

So, here’s a toast to the underdogs. “DogMan,” as one of the early beneficiaries of the SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, might just be leading the way for a more inclusive, diverse, and democratic entertainment landscape. And as the laissez-faire festival goer, I say, bring on the drama and let the curtains rise.