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SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris has been elected president of the International Federation of Actors – the first American to ever hold the position. She was elected by delegates attending Fia’s 22nd World Congress.

Carteris succeeds Canadian actress Ferne Downey, who had been its president since 2012. Founded in 1952, Fia represents performers’ trade unions, guilds, and professional associations in some 65 countries whose members work in all recorded media and live theatre.

“It is my profound honor to be elected president of the International Federation of Actors,” Carteris said. “For nearly seventy years, Fia has been a leader and fighter for actors around the world. Fia has worked tirelessly to make stages, sets and studios more diverse and equitable, in addition to creating a culture of respect and accountability in the entertainment, media and performing arts industry that transcends international boundaries. I am grateful to Ferne Downey for her leadership as president over the past nine years,...

Actors' unions from 60 countries, including the U.S., have issued a declaration calling for an end to sexual harassment in the workplace.

SAG-aftra and the International Federation of Actors (Fia) led the call to the media and entertainment industries in the wake of the sexual harassment and assault allegations leveled against film mogul Harvey Weinstein. "The scandal involving Harvey Weinstein revealed problems that were all too familiar to women — and men — in our industry," Fia president Ferne Downey said Thursday in a statement.

The Fia declaration, authored and sponsored by the American performers union SAG-aftra, calls for a...

The Toronto-based "Canadian Film Centre" celebrated their 25th anniversary September 8, 2013, with the Cfc annual BBQ, as former students, faculty and invited guests toasted this year's Tiff/ Cfc films, including work from over 50 alumni.

What started as a film training centre, spear-headed by Cfc founder, Chair Emeritus, director Norman Jewison ("Rollerball"), has grown into an enterprise of 14 training and mentoring programs.

These include an actors' conservatory, plus programs for up and coming comedians, television actors, writers, musicians and new media entrepreneurs.

The $6 million organization in 2005, now costs more than $14 million to run today, with more than half of that money donated by the private sector.

Over 25 years, Cfc programs have assisted in the production and distribution of 21 feature films, 158 short films, four television/web based pilots and 120 "interactive digital media prototypes.

The Ontario Liberal government earmarked $9 million of new spending on the Canadian Film Centre in the provincial budget rolled out...

Toronto -- Canwest Global Communications Corp. is to draw top Canadian TV stars to its fall 2010 schedule rollout on Tuesday, not to praise the domestic broadcaster, but to protest its recent Los Angeles Screenings purchases.

 

Actra Toronto, the local branch of Canada's actors union, on Monday issued a call to its members to rally outside the Hazelton Hotel in Yorkville as top Canwest Global execs unveil their latest American TV buys to the national media.

Leading Canadian actors Eric Peterson, Gordon Pinsent, Leah Pinsent and Colin Mochrie will be in attendance to urge Canwest Global and other Canadian broadcasters to buy Canadian shows as they pitch domestic advertisers on their recent American buys this week in Toronto.

Canwest Global came away from the L.A. Screenings with a slate of CBS Studios product, including the remake of "Hawaii Five-o" for Mondays at 10 p.m., and another package from 20th Century...