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Exclusive: The Palm Springs Film Festival has booked its 2025 “Books to Screen” schedule.

The event will host January Q&As with Conclave director Edward Berger, Nickel Boys helmer RaMell Ross, Queer screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes and Reading Lolita in Tehran director Eran Riklis, author Azar Naifisi and screenwriter Marjorie David.

The 36th annual festival runs January 2-13 in the desert city east of Los Angeles.

Here are details on the fest’s “Books to Screen” lineup, with Deadline writers moderating the panels:

Conclave with director Edward Berger

10 a.m. Saturday, January 4

Following the death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with overseeing the election of a new one. As the Catholic Church’s most powerful men gather on his watch, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets that could shake the foundations of the Church.

Related: ‘Wicked’s Ariana Grande Set For...

On Oct. 1, as Iran was firing a fusillade of missiles on his country, Israeli director Eran Riklis was in Tel Aviv “trying to cling on to the fact” that he would hopefully soon be premiering his new film “Reading Lolita in Tehran” — which he calls “an iconic Iranian story, featuring iconic Iranian actresses” — at the Rome Film Festival.

On Oct. 27, one day after Israel launched retaliatory missile strikes on Iran, Rikils beamed on stage as he accepted the Rome event’s audience award and special jury prize alongside most of the film’s ensemble female cast that includes Golshifteh Farahani, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Mina Kavani, Lara Wolf, Isabella Nefar and Raha Rahbari.

At a time when tensions between Israel and Iran are soaring, “Reading Lolita in Tehran” – an adaptation of Azar Nafisi’s bestselling autobiographical novel about a fearless literature teacher in post-revolution Tehran – stands as a powerful symbol of...

Across “Lemon Tree,” “The Syrian Bride” and “Shelter,” Israeli filmmaker Eran Riklis has built a sturdy body of work, telling defiant stories of Middle Eastern women from different walks of life. With “Reading Lolita in Tehran” — a moving adaptation of Iranian-American author and professor Azar Nafisi’s memoir — he adds an understated, yet generally absorbing and similarly minded entry to his oeuvre, warmly transposing Nafisi’s experience in the post-revolution Iran onto the screen with sensitivity.

Unfolding in episodic segments and significant jumps in time that sometimes feel too abrupt, the screenplay by Marjorie David follows Nafisi (an expressive Golshifteh Farahani) across a 24-year period, after the young academic holding a fresh American degree settles in Tehran with her husband Bijan (Arash Marandi) in 1979, on the heels of the country’s Islamic Revolution. A title card at the start contextualizes the couple’s return to their homeland. Historically, it was...

SAG-AFTRA members picketing in Los Angeles and New York have gotten most of the media’s attention during the guild’s ongoing strike, but members have been rallying and walking picket lines all across the country.

The guild’s latest video (watch it here) shows members rallying and picketing for a fair contract in 24 of the guild’s 25 locals – only Houston-Austin is missing.

In addition to LA and NYC, they’re seen showing their solidarity in Atlanta, Chicago, New Mexico, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Hawaii, Michigan, Nevada, New England, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco-Northern California, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Seattle, Miami, Ohio-Pittsburgh, Arizona-Utah, Nashville, Washington/Mid-Atlantic, Colorado, the Missouri Valley and Dallas-Fort Worth.

Today’s featured pickets will be held this morning at Amazon Studios in Culver City and Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. At Amazon, SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild picketers will be joined by Producers Guild of America presidents Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line.

The film was shot in Italy and is now in post-production.

London-based WestEnd Films has boarded Eran Riklis’ Reading Lolita In Tehran starring Golshifteh Farahani and Zar Amir-Ebrahimi, and will introduce the film to buyers in Cannes.

The film was shot in Italy and is now in post-production.

Adapted from Azar Nafisi’s autobiographical novel, the story centres around a teacher in Iran who secretly gathers a group of female students to read forbidden western classics. Marjorie David wrote the screenplay.

It is an Italy-Israel co-production between United King Films, Topia Communications, Eran Riklis Productions, Minerva Pictures and Rosamont with Rai Cinema.

A long-anticipated adaptation of the 2003 bestselling novel “Reading Lolita in Tehran” by Azar Nafisi is hitting the Marché du Film at Cannes this month.

Directed by award-winning director Eran Riklis (“Lemon Tree”) and written by Marjorie David, the film stars an ensemble cast led by Golshifteh Farahani (“Pirates of the Caribbean”), Zar Amir-Ebrahimi (“Holy Spider”) and Mina Kavani (“Red Rose”).

Set in post-revolution Iran as extremism took hold, Nafisi’s book tells the autobiographical story of a fearless teacher who secretly gathered seven of her female students to read forbidden Western classics.

According to a synopsis: “As the Islamic Republic took power, morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran and as fundamentalists seized hold of the universities, the women in Nafisi’s living room, whose rights had been systematically removed, risked everything to find a safe space to remove their veils and speak their minds. Despite the grave danger they are in,...

Iranian-American writer Azar Nafisi’s classic memoir Reading Lolita in Tehran has been adapted for the big screen with an ensemble cast led by actors Golshifteh Farahani (Paterson) and Zar Amir-Ebrahimi (Holy Spider).

The pic is an Italian-Israeli co-production directed by Eran Riklis (Lemon Tree) from a screenplay by Marjorie David. Production took place in Italy. It’s now in post, and WestEnd will launch sales at the upcoming Cannes market.

Translated into 32 languages and set after the revolution in Iran as extremism took hold, Nafisi’s memoir tells the autobiographical story of a bold and inspired teacher, who secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics, while their world as they knew it closed in around them. As the Islamic Republic took power, morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran, and as fundamentalists seized hold of the universities, the women in Nafisi’s living room,...

Golshifteh Farahani (Pirates of the Caribbean, About Elly, Paterson) and Zar Amir-Ebrahami (Palme d’Or-winner in 2022 for Holy Spider) — two of most recognized and in-demand Iranian stars working outside of Iran today — have teamed for the feature adaptation of Azar Nafisi’s bestselling Iranian novel Reading Lolita in Tehran.

The two lead an ensemble cast in the the drama — from award-winning director Eran Riklis (Lemon Tree, The Syrian Bride, Dancing Arabs) and written by Marjorie David — alongside Mina Kavani (Red Rose, No Bears). WestEnd Films are launching sales of the film in Cannes.

Translated into 32 languages across the world and set after the revolution in Iran as extremism took hold, Reading Lolita in Tehran tells the autobiographical story of a bold and inspired teacher, who secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden western classics while their world as they knew it closed in around them.

It’s deja vu all over again for Patric Verrone, the former WGA West president who led the guild during the 2007-08 writers strike.

Verrone, who spoke to Variety while picketing outside Fox Studios in West Los Angeles, sees a number of parallels to the dynamic that led to the work stoppage in November 2007 but also a number of important differences. He is a member of the negotiating committee that has been wrangling this latest three-year contract with executives at the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

“I would say the chief similarity is that in 2007, and in 2023, the management didn’t believe us, when we said we were going to strike and that our demands were genuine, and that we had the full support of our membership,” Verrone said. “There was skepticism on the part of the companies that this would actually happen.”

The biggest difference from the...

Patric Verrone knows a thing or two about negotiations between the writers and studios.

As President of the WGA West from 2005-09, he was in charge during the last writers strike in 2007 and 2008.

He tells Deadline that the resolve of membership is “even stronger” than last time out.

“I think the biggest similarity [with 07-08] is that the studios weren’t convinced that we were going to strike, and I think they are similarly now wondering how long we’re gonna last,” he said. “The resolve of the membership then and now, however, is even stronger.”

Verrone said Wednesday night’s WGA meeting highlighted this. “I’ve been in this membership for 37 years. I was President during the last strike. I’ve never seen the kind of outpouring of support from the Hollywood labor movement as we saw last night,” he said. “More than anything what makes the nature of a union...

The Brady organization against gun violence is calling on Hollywood writers, directors and producers to examine onscreen gun violence and depictions of gun safety, asking the creative community to sign a pledge that’s already garnered more than 200 signatures of such names as Judd Apatow, Shonda Rhimes, Damon Lindelof and Jimmy Kimmel and the writers of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The pledge, while noting that the “responsibility lies with lax gun laws supported by those politicians more afraid of losing power than saving lives,” acknowledges that “America’s storytellers” have the power to “effect change.”

“Cultural attitudes toward smoking, drunk driving, seatbelts and marriage equality have all evolved due in large part to movies’ and TV’s influence. It’s time to take on gun safety,” the Brady pledge states, and goes on to ask writers, directors and producers to, whenever possible, to:

Use creativity “to model responsible gun ownership and...

Hollywood has come together to make a change over the portrayal of gun violence onscreen.

Judd Apatow, Mark Ruffalo, Jimmy Kimmel, Damon Lindelof, Adam McKay, Julianne Moore, Shonda Rhimes, Eli Roth, Mark Ruffalo, Amy Schumer, and John Glickman are among the first round of signatures for a petition calling for the film and TV industry to re-examine its influence on national gun violence in the U.S.

The petition, titled “Open Letter to Our Colleagues in the Creative Community,” calls for studios to model responsible gun safety practices in productions and curb portrayals of guns in scenes involving children. The effort, led by activists Christy Callahan, the co-chair of the Brady United Against Gun Violence organization’s Regional Leadership Council, and Robert Bowers Disney, comes after the Uvalde elementary school mass shooting on May 24.

“Considering there have been over 250 other mass shootings so far this year, it’s an almost incomprehensible tragedy.

The WGA West is calling on Hollywood to consider not shooting films and TV shows in states that ban abortions. The move comes in the wake of a leaked draft opinion by a 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court that would overturn Roe v. Wade and let states decide whether to ban abortions.

“In light of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion rights, we want to reaffirm our Guild’s commitment to fighting on our members’ behalf against inequality and discrimination,” the guild’s board of directors said in a statement. “Women’s rights are human rights, and any laws that ban or limit a woman’s right to choose are dangerous and set a precedent for further erosion of our collective civil rights. We call on our employers to consider the laws of each state when choosing production locations to ensure that our members will never be...

After another politically and socially turbulent year, the Writers Guild of America is ready to celebrate the best that its members have to offer, while reflecting on the ever-changing social and entertainment landscape.

The WGA’s annual awards event, a joint venture between Wgaw and Wgawe, will be held on Sunday, March 20th, and similar to last year, will be handled as a virtual event. With Covid still firmly lingering in the space of the populace, the guild’s priorities have naturally shifted in ways that couldn’t have been anticipated, while still staying true to its collective core values.

This year’s WGA film award nominees represent a roster of high-caliber talent. Nominees in the Original Screenplay category Aaron Sorkin (“Being the Ricardos”), Adam McKay & David Sirota (“Don’t Look Up”), Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola & Hugo Guinness & Jason Schwartzman, Zach Baylin (“King Richard”), and Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”). Adapted...

Meredith Stiehm has been elected president of the Writers Guild of America, West, succeeding David Goodman, who stepped down after four years on the job.

Stiehm ran unopposed, as did her slate of officers. Michele Mulroney was elected vice president and Betsy Thomas was elected secretary-treasurer.

“It is an honor to serve the membership as Wgaw President,” Stiehm said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Michele, Betsy, and the Board of Directors to advance an agenda that builds on the progress our union has made for writers and addresses the challenges we face in our creative and economic lives.”

Stiehm was a producer on shows such as “Homeland,” “Cold Case,” “ER” and “NYPD Blue.” She is also a veteran of the guild’s bruising recent battle with the agencies, which led to the end of packaging. Stiehm served as one of the counter-claimants in the WGA’s suit against the agencies,...

The Writers Guild of America West announced the results of its latest elections on Tuesday, including formally declaring “Cold Case” creator Meredith Stiehm as the next president of the guild.

Stiehm ran unopposed in the election, as did incoming vice president Michele Mulroney and secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas. Stiehm will succeed outgoing president David A. Goodman, who successfully led the WGA in a campaign to direct talent agencies to phase out packaging fees in order to continue representing members.

Stiehm, who previously served on the Wgaw Board of Directors with Mulroney and Thomas, played a role in the packaging fee campaign as a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the Writers Guild against Hollywood’s top agencies, alleging that CAA had packaged “Cold Case” without her knowledge or consent and, she claimed, “ended up making 94 cents for every dollar that I earned.” The lawsuit was dropped after CAA, UTA, WME and...

Meredith Stiehm, running unopposed, has been elected president of the WGA West, becoming only the third woman to ever hold the guild’s top elected office.

Stiehm, who executive produced Homeland and Cold Case, was a member of the guild’s board of directors and was one of the eight named plaintiffs in the WGA’s historic legal battle that reshaped the talent agency business. She succeeds David A. Goodman as president.

With her election, the WGA West, the DGA and SAG-AFTRA for the first time ever all have female presidents. Fran Drescher was elected president of SAG-AFTRA this month, becoming its fifth female president, and Lesli Linka Glatter was elected president of the DGA on Saturday, becoming only the second woman to hold that post.

In the WGA West elections, Michele Mulroney was elected vice president, and Betsy Thomas was elected secretary-treasurer, with both running unopposed. It marks the...

Meredith Stiehm will be the next president of the WGA West. Stiehm, running unopposed, will succeed David A. Goodman, who has termed out, on Sept. 21.

Stiehm, who executive produced Homeland and Cold Case, will be only the third woman to hold the union’s highest elected position. The WGA West and its forerunner, the Screen Writers Guild, have had 47 presidents since their founding in 1933 — all but two of whom have been men. Currently a member of the local’s board of directors, she was one of the eight named plaintiffs in the WGA’s historic legal battle that reshaped the talent agency business.

Michele Mulroney will be the guild’s next vice president, and Betsy Thomas will be the next secretary-treasurer. Both are running unopposed, and it will mark the first time in the guild’s history that all three of its top elected posts were held by women. Mulroney...

Meredith Stiehm is running for president of the WGA West. Currently a member of the local’s board of directors, she was one of the eight named plaintiffs in the WGA’s historic legal battle that reshaped the talent agency business.

The former executive producer of Homeland and Cold Case received the presidential nod from the guild’s nominating committee. The WGA West’s current president, David A. Goodman, is termed out and cannot seek re-election.

If elected, Stiehm would be only the third woman to hold the post. The WGA West and its forerunner, the Screen Writers Guild, have had 47 presidents since their founding in 1933 — all but two of whom have been men.

Current secretary-treasurer Michele Mulroney was nominated to run for vice president, and board member Betsy Thomas was nominated to run for secretary-treasurer.

The three officer candidates were the only ones selected by the nominating committee, though...

The WGA West’s annual election season has begun. This year, the guild will hold elections for all three of its officers – president, vice president and secretary-treasurer – and for eight of the 16 seats on its board of directors.

“Although the Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt all of our lives, the Guild continues to do the work of representing writers – mostly remotely – and the officer and Board of Directors election will go forward as always,” the guild told its members Friday.

Guild president David A. Goodman and vice president Marjorie David, who were elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2019, won’t be eligible to seek re-election because of term limits, though David is eligible to run for president. The WGA West and its forerunner, the Screen Writers Guild, have had 47 presidents since their founding in 1933, and only two of whom have been women.

David A. Goodman Reflects On Agency Fight And Pandemic...

The WGA West has reached a big settlement with CBS over underpaid residuals for shows made available on the CBS All Access streaming platform from its inception in 2014.

The guild disclosed in a letter to members Thursday that it has negotiated a settlement worth $3.4 million to cover 62 series featured on the subscription streaming service that CBS unveiled in October 2014. The guild challenged the methodology that CBS used to calculate the residuals due to writers for episodes of new and vintage series. The settlement covers 2014 through the end of 2020.

“We worked with CBS to reach a settlement that not only appropriately values the license fees for the programming you’ve written, but also includes interest owed for the late payment,” WGA West’s top leadership wrote in a letter to affected guild members.

A source close to the situation said the deal was finalized in November. CBS declined to comment.

CBS...

The WGA West and CBS have reached a $3.4 million settlement of a residuals dispute arising from the reuse of 62 of the network’s shows on its now-rebranded CBS All Access subscription streaming service.

“When CBS launched CBS All Access, the company used much of its own television programming to establish and grow the service,” guild leaders said in a letter to members today. “Writers of these television programs were owed a residual of 1.2% of the license fee for usage on CBS All Access. Because CBS owns CBS All Access, our contract requires the company to calculate license fees by using comparable CBS television shows licensed in arms-length transactions.”

The guild said that this protection is necessary “to ensure that companies do not undervalue license fees – and therefore underpay residuals – when licensing content to themselves. In a world where most of the major studios have or soon will launch their own streaming services,...

Over 100 actors, directors, writers, and more have signed an open letter protesting tonight’s NBC town hall with Donald Trump. The event is scheduled to begin at 8pm Et and air in direct conflict with ABC’s town hall with Joe Biden. The Trump town hall is set to run for 60 minutes and will cut into the first hour of Biden’s 90 minute town hall. The petition letter is signed by the likes of Seth Rogen, J.J. Abrams, Ava DuVernay, Sarah Silverman, Adam McKay, Kumail Nanjiani, Aaron Sorkin, and more.

“We have been devastated to learn that [NBCUniversal] has chosen to air President Trump’s town hall this Thursday night at 8 p.m., directly opposite Vice President Biden’s town hall,” the petition states. “This is not a partisan issue. This is about the political health of our democracy.

Trump and Biden were originally scheduled to take part in an in-person debate tonight,...

The WGA West board of directors sent a letter to its members today that updates writers on the union’s latest efforts in the wake of its new film and TV contract. Read it in full below.

The missive comes less than a week after WGA members voted overwhelmingly to ratify with the new film and TV deal worked out with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Sent under the header, “How Agency Information Sharing Is Paying Off,” the letter notes that “a key objective of our agency campaign is timely information from the agencies to assist Mba enforcement of late pay and free work violations, and enhance the Guild’s analysis of compensation and other employment trends.”

Here is the letter in full:

Dear Members,

A key objective of our agency campaign is timely information from the agencies to assist Mba enforcement of late pay and free work violations,...

Writers Guild of America leaders have endorsed the union’s tentative deal negotiated this week with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. In an email message this morning (read it below), union leaders said that “both the Wgaw Board and Wgae Council voted unanimously to recommend the contract.”

Earlier this week, the WGA and the AMPTP secured a tentative three-year deal that bring labor stability to an industry hobbled by the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. In a marathon bargaining session that stretched into the early hours Wednesday, negotiators secured an agreement to take to the guild’s membership for ratification.

In today’s email, the leadership said that, upon certification by the WGA’s chief negotiator of the final contract language, the guilds will conduct a ratification vote among eligible members later this month.

“As soon as the confirmed draft is in place,” wrote the Wgaw Board of Directors,...

In the wake of nationwide protests over racism and police brutality, leaders of the WGA West are urging their own members – television showrunners – “to take their share of responsibility” for the ethnic make-up of writers rooms.

“The Writers Guild doesn’t employ writers, but members, in collaboration with studios, make decisions about who gets hired,” guild leaders told their members today. “We will improve showrunner education. We will make sure we know who is in every room. We pledge, in addition, always to make clear what we want and to bring member and public pressure to bear in order to get it.”

And on the feature film side, they said: “We will immediately create a group that will meet directly with studio heads to make them aware of our push for better and more employment for Black members in screen. We will encourage concrete programs that bring more writers of...

Leaders of the Writers Guild of America have told members that the guild will press on in its legal battle with Wme, CAA and UTA over packaging fees in the wake of a federal judge’s decision to dismiss most of the guild’s lawsuit against the talent agencies.

The WGA sent a message to members Tuesday, a day after U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte dismissed eight of the 14 claims brought by the WGA in its countersuit, including claims that packaging fees amount to illegal kickbacks and were a form of racketeering.

In a message sent to members by the WGA’s agency negotiating committee and the WGA West board of directors, guild leaders emphasized that the claims involving breach of fiduciary duty and price-fixing among agencies over packaging fees were allowed to proceed and will be the crux of the guild’s case. A trial date has been...

Requests for assistance from the Actors Fund have soared during the industry’s coronavirus shutdown, and the WGA West has answered the call.

“While the Actors Fund typically processes an average of 60 grants per week, in the last two weeks it has scaled up and is providing 150 grants per day,” leaders of the WGA West told their members today in an urgent call for contributions to the Fund. To help fill the need, the guild contributed $590,000 to the Fund last week from levies it collects from foreign countries to compensate rights holders for the copying, rental and retransmission of their films and television programs.

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Guild president David A. Goodman, vice president Marjorie David...

Leaders of the Writers Guild of America have told members that they may need to extend to current contract beyond its current May 1 expiration due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Members received the message on Tuesday afternoon, a day after Variety reported that the WGA was evaluating its options for conducting contract talks with Hollywood’s major studios that were to have started on March 23. The coronavirus prevention measures appear to have made it untenable for the sides to hold a face-to-face bargaining session.

The WGA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are trying to come to terms on an extension date for the guild’s existing Minimum Basic Agreement that covers most film and TV work. The current pact is set to expire May 1. But given the upheaval to regular business brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the sides need more time to negotiate what is sure to...

The WGA is in discussions with management’s AMPTP about how or whether to go forward with their upcoming negotiations for a new film and TV contract, which are scheduled to begin on Monday amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

“Everyone is understandably anxious to know how the Covid-19 pandemic will impact our Mba negotiations, since our current agreement expires on May 1,” leaders of the WGA West said in a message tonight to their members. “The Negotiating Committee is carefully considering our options, keeping what is best for writers both now and in the future front of mind, and we are also in discussions with the AMPTP. Nothing is settled yet, but we will let you know as soon as there is a specific path forward.”

More from DeadlineWGA & AMPTP Join Forces To Plan Labor Path Ahead As Coronavirus Shakes Up HollywoodWGA's Pension & Health Office To Close Monday To Protect Against...

The WGA West is suspending non-essential meetings and events and is cancelling all screenings at the Writers Guild Theater until further notice to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“As the situation concerning the global spread of Covid-19 continues to evolve, guild leadership has decided to take a preemptive course of action that we feel is in the best interest of the membership,” guild leaders told their members today.”

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In an email to their members today, guild leaders said:

“The WGA West office is open and staff is committed to supporting the core functions and strategic campaigns of the guild without interruption.

In his latest letter to members, Writers Guild of America West President David A. Goodman discussed the upcoming talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) next summer and vowed to make improved writer compensation a core issue at the negotiating table.

“While record numbers of members are currently employed, individual writer compensation is not where it should be, with too many members working at or close to minimum,” Goodman wrote in a letter cosigned by Vice President Marjorie David and Secretary-Treasurer Michelle Mulroney.

“Our Mba focus must be to ensure that writers are being fairly compensated for the global value of the content that has continued to bring banner profits to our employers, and that our benefit plans remain healthy.”

Also Read: Judge Blocks Justice Department's Request to Join WGA/Agency Lawsuit Hearing

The current three-year Minimum Basic Agreement between the WGA and AMPTP expires on May 1. In the coming months,...

The Writers Guild of America revealed Tuesday that although employment numbers are rising for members, compensation is dramatically behind.

“While record numbers of members are currently employed, individual writer compensation is not where it should be, with too many members working at or close to minimum,” the WGA West told its members from president David A. Goodman, VP Marjorie David and secretary-treasurer Michelle Mulroney. The updates come ahead of Minimum Basic Agreement contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The current three-year deal expires May 1, though no talks have been set.

“Our Mba focus must be to ensure that writers are being fairly compensated for the global value of the content that has continued to bring banner profits to our employers, and that our benefit plans remain healthy,” the message reads.

The guild’s eight-month standoff with the major Hollywood talent agencies has heightened worries that...

The WGA West is reporting that “record numbers of members are currently employed” as the guild prepares for its upcoming negotiations for a new film and TV contract. Guild leaders, however, say that “individual writer compensation is not where it should be, with too many members working at or close to minimum.”

The guild’s current contract expires May 1.

“Overall employment trends for Wgaw members provide context for our upcoming negotiations,” guild leaders told their members via email today. “Feature employment is approaching the high levels of 20 years ago, with about a thousand screenwriters reporting over $100 million in earnings each quarter. This level of employment and earnings has been sustained for two years now, a change from the period in 2012-14 when quarterly employment in features was typically around 700 writers. Television employment remains at its highest level in history: there have been more than 4,500 members working in TV for the last five years and counting,...

The Writers Guild of America on Friday tapped more than 30 members to serve on the guild’s negotiating committee for the upcoming contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

The current three-year collective bargaining agreement, which covers most of the work done by WGA writers, is set to expire on May 1, 2020.

The looming contract negotiations have been a source of much anxiety in Hollywood as fears of a potential strike have bubbled in recent months. The negotiations are especially interesting for the WGA, which is still in a stand off with Hollywood talent agencies over how they are represented and the packaging fees agents collect for bundling talent together for networks and studios.

Also Read: How Hollywood's Guilds Are Bracing for Crucial Negotiations in 2020

Prominent names appointed to the WGA’s negotiating committee include “Aladdin” screenwriter John August, Patti Carr, Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians”), Meredith Stiehm...

The WGA has appointed the members to its negotiating committee in the run-up to its talks with management’s Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for a new film and TV contract. See the list below.

The current pact expires on May 1. No date has been set for the talks to begin, and it’s not clear whether the WGA will begin bargaining before the Directors Guild, whose contract doesn’t expire until two months later. In years past, the DGA has gone first, reaching deals that have set the pattern of bargaining for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA to follow.

In the upcoming WGA talks, WGA West executive director David Young will serve as the guild’s chief negotiator, with Michele Mulroney, Shawn Ryan and Betsy Thomas serving as co-chairs. Ex-officio members of the negotiating committee include WGA West president David A. Goodman, WGA East president Beau Willimon,...

With Hollywood already fearing a strike, the Writers Guild of America has appointed more than two dozen members to serve on its negotiating committee for upcoming negotiations on its master contract.

The current three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) expires on May 1. The guild’s seven-month standoff with agencies has heightened worries that the WGA will go on strike after the contract expires.

The WGA is required to seek approval of its “pattern of demands” before meeting with the companies. WGA West executive director David Young, who orchestrated the bitter 2007-08 strike, will serve as chief negotiator. Michele Mulroney, Shawn Ryan and Betsy Thomas are the co-chairs.

Notable names on the committee include “Crazy Rich Asians” writer Adele Lim; Meredith Stiehm, one of the plaintiffs in the WGA’s suit over the legality of CAA, UTA and Wme charging packaging fees; Patric Verrone, who...

Updated with Goodman and Nagy reaction: David A. Goodman has been re-elected president of the WGA West, defeating opposition candidate Phyllis Nagy in a landslide. His re-election, in a record turnout, is a solid endorsement of the guild’s five-month-long agency campaign, which was the main issue in the race. It could also strengthens the guild’s hand going into next year’s negotiations with management’s AMPTP for a new film and TV contract.

Goodman received 4,395 votes (77.3%) to Nagy’s 1,292 (22.7%). All of Goodman’s running mates were also elected. Marjorie David, running unopposed – after Craig Mazin and Carl Gottlieb dropped out of the race – was elected vice president, and Michele Mulroney was elected secretary-treasurer. She defeated Nick Jones, Jr., who received 1,256 votes, and Evette Vargas, who got 203.

A total of 5,809 valid ballots were cast. Representing 58% of eligible voters, it represents the largest turnout in guild history and more than...

Writers and others are reacting to WGA West president David A. Goodman landslide re-election win tonight. The incumbent brushed off challenger Phyllis Nagy after an often bitter campaign amid the guild’s ongoing standoff with the Association of Talent Agents. Read some of the reaction below.

Okay, good. Now let’s move on. #WGA

— Christopher Cantwell (@ifyoucantwell) September 17, 2019

Never ever prouder of my union than I am right this moment. #wga

— Harley Peyton (@HarleyPeyton) September 17, 2019

Thank you to All the #WGA candidates. It's been so inspirational to watch you advocate for our family of writers. Tactics may have differed, but you all clearly wanted what's best for us. Thank you all for your dedication and your service. I'm proud to know you. #IStandWithTheWGA

— Becky Kirsch (@BeckyKirsch) September 17, 2019

WGA Elections Are Over! Congrats to David Goodman, Marjorie David, Michele Mulroney, Liz Alper, Angelina Burnett, Robb Chavis, Dante W. Harper, Zoe Marshall,...

David Goodman has been convincingly re-elected to a two-year term as president of the Writers Guild of America West, beating Phyllis Nagy in a bitter contest that became a referendum on the guild’s ongoing battle with talent agents.

Goodman received 4,395 votes to Nagy’s 1,282 in an election that yielded record turnout among the WGA West’s nearly 10,000 members — more than half of eligible voters cast ballots. Goodman’s allies also won all 10 other seats that were up for election.

Marjorie David ran unopposed for vice president and won with 4,706 votes.Michele Mulroney received 4,164 votes for secretary-treasurer to 1,256 for Nagy ally Nick Jones, Jr. and 203 for Evette Vargas. Incumbent Meredith Stiehm topped the board of director candidates followed by incumbent Luvh Rakhe, Liz Alper, incumbent Angelina Burnett, incumbent Nicole Yorkin, Zoe Marshall, Robb Chavis, and Dante W. Harper,

Marc Guggenheim took in the most votes of Nagy’s allies with 1,488, followed by Sarah Treem,...

Oscar-winning screenwriter Tom Schulman has issued a strong endorsement for David Goodman for re-election as president of the Writers Guild of America West.

In an email to WGA West members Wednesday, Schulman took issue with the claim by the opposition Writers Forward Together slate that they have never seen the Guild so divided. He noted that more than 7,000 members voted in March to support the leadership’s Code of Conduct to ban agency packaging fees and affiliate ownership, while around 300 opposed.

“In my 33 years as a Guild member, I’ve never seen anything close to 7,000 members turn out to vote on anything,” he said. “Far from divided, we have unprecedented solidarity.”

Schulman won an Academy Award for “Dead Poets Society” and has credits on “Welcome to Mooseport” and “What About Bob.” He was vice president of the WGA West from 2009-2011, and served on the board of directors from 2005-...

Oscar-winning screenwriter Callie Khouri has issued a strong endorsement for David Goodman for re-election as president of the Writers Guild of America West.

“I have been a member of the WGA for twenty-nine years,” Khouri said in a email to members. “I’ve seen us win some and lose some. But after all these years I know one thing for sure; nothing makes a writer more vulnerable than a weak and fractured union. I am voting for experience, strength and unity.”

Khouri won an Academy Award for “Thelma & Louise” and created “Nashville,” which ran for six seasons. She said in the email Monday that the Writers Forward Together slate lacks the experience to lead. That slate, headed by Phyllis Nagy, is running on a platform that highlights the need for the WGA to resume negotiations with the major agencies. Ballots went out Aug. 29 to about 10,000 members with results announced Sept.

With one week to go before WGA West ballots are counted, Oscar-winning screenwriter Callie Khouri is urging writers to re-elect the guild’s current leadership and “stand together” to win the WGA’s five-month battle with Hollywood’s talent agencies.

Khouri, who won the Oscar for Thelma & Louise, said in an email blast to the guild’s members Monday that the Forward Together opposition candidates – led by presidential candidate Phyllis Nagy – don’t have the experience needed to bring the agency campaign to a successful conclusion.

“I have served two terms on the board and on one negotiating committee, and I know from firsthand experience the level of research, preparation, and strategic planning required of the leadership and staff in a campaign like this one,” she wrote in support of WGA West president David A. Goodman and his team of running mates. “I take the writers of the Forward...

Marjorie David, vice president of the WGA West, says the guild is “operating in good faith” to resolve the ongoing feud with Hollywood’s talent agencies, and believes it will be in good shape going into next year’s negotiations with the studios for a new film and TV contract as long as members stay united.

“Our solidarity is the key to our success in any and all negotiations,” she wrote in her re-election campaign statement. “We mustn’t underestimate our own power here. I know some writers have argued that the agency campaign will weaken us going into the Mba, but the only way that happens is if we act weak. That doesn’t mean we fail to adapt strategy with regard to the agents. It does mean that we stand up for a fair deal for our members.”

David is running unopposed for re-election after her two opponents dropped out of the race.

Carl Gottlieb has withdrawn his candidacy for vice president of the WGA West for medical reasons, leaving incumbent Marjorie David, the running mate of WGA West president David A. Goodman, the only candidate in the race.

Gottlieb, who’s served as vice president and secretary-treasurer of the guild, made the announcement Thursday via a statement read during the guild’s Candidates Night forum at the Writers Guild Theater.

“Carl Gottlieb has withdrawn his candidacy for vice president for medical reason due to an unexpected significant cardiac event,” said moderator Brian Gary, to gasps from the assembled writers. “Carl wanted everyone to know that he’s on the mend, however, he won’t be able to do anything but concentrate on recovery for the foreseeable future. Carl says he is happy to be alive, but unhappy to be weak and unable to be present at the theater tonight, or available for...

William Schmidt has dropped out of the race for the WGA West presidency and support Phyllis Nagy against incumbent WGA West president David Goodman in the upcoming election.

Schmidt, whose credits include “Yellowstone,” “Outsiders” and “Charmed,” has campaigned for the past two months in opposition to Goodman’s directive for members to fire their agents if they had not signed the WGA Code of Conduct. At least 7,000 agents have been fired.

Schmidt made the announcement Wednesday night at the guild’s candidates meeting at the Writers Guild Theatre in Beverly Hills. He admitted that he and Nagy did not receive a positive response, adding, “It was pretty ugly.”

Schmidt, a 37-year member of the guild, and Nagy are running against Goodman in an election that’s widely seen as a referendum on the WGA’s hard-nose tactics versus a more accommodating approach. Ballots go out Aug. 29 and results will be announced Sept.

A fourth candidate for the Writers Guild of America West’s board has dropped out of the race in order to support the guild’s hardline stance on Hollywood agents.

Joshua Hale Fialkov made the announcement Friday, three days after Rob Forman, Ed Herro and Chris Roessner all announced they had withdrawn from the contest for the same reason. The four dropouts mean that there are now 17 candidates for eight open board seats in a contest that’s viewed as a referendum on the WGA’s hard-nosed approach. Election results will be announced on Sept. 16.

Craig Mazin dropped out of the election last week as a vice presidential candidate due to concerns over a family member’s health. Mazin was a running mate with Phyllis Nagy, who is challenging WGA West president David Goodman on a platform that the WGA needs to get back to the bargaining table after six weeks of staying away.

Another board candidate has dropped out of the WGA West election and thrown his support to incumbent president David A. Goodman and his running mates. Joshua Hale Fialkov is the fourth board candidate to drop out – leaving 17 candidates vying for eight board seats.

Fialkov, who was selected to run by the guild’s nominating committee, was running independently of either of the two slates headed by Goodman and opposition presidential candidate Phyllis Nagy.

Indie board candidates Rob Forman, Ed Herro and Chris Roessner had previously dropped out of the running, as had vice presidential candidate Craig Mazin, Nagy’s running mate.

Here is Fialkov’s full statement issued Friday:

Like many of my fellow nominees, I’ve made the immensely difficult decision to step away from the election. As has been said more elegantly by them, this election has become about picking sides, and either you’re with our current...

Three WGA West board candidates – Rob Forman, Ed Herro and Chris Roessner – have dropped out of the race, leaving 18 candidates vying for eight open board seats.

“The rumors are true,” tweeted Forman, who said he’s endorsing the current leadership’s ongoing standoff with the Association of Talent Agents. “I’ve withdrawn my name from the WGA board of directors race. This election has been turned into a referendum on the Ata conflict, and I don’t want to play third-party spoiler. The guild deserves a clean, up-down vote so we can all move forward as a union. My staying in the race would have potentially siphoned votes away from a group of candidates whose core strategic beliefs I agree with, and I simply wasn’t willing to risk that.”

He said he’s supporting David A. Goodman for president, Marjorie David for vice president and Michele Mulroney for secretary-treasurer.

A trio of candidates for the Writers Guild of America West’s board have dropped out of the race in order to support the guild’s hardline stance on Hollywood agents.

Rob Forman, Ed Herro and Chris Roessner all announced Tuesday that they had withdrawn from the contest. The three dropouts mean that there are now 18 candidates for eight open board seats in a contest that’s viewed as a referendum on the WGA’s hard-nosed approach. Election results will be announced on Sept. 16.

Craig Mazin dropped out of the election last week as a vice presidential candidate due to concerns over a family member’s health. Mazin was a running mate with Phyllis Nagy, who is challenging WGA West president David Goodman on a platform that the WGA needs to get back to the bargaining table after six weeks of staying away. Nick Jones Jr. is also part of...