December 7, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The Writers Guild of America East and west (WGAE and WGAw) and the Directors Guild of America (DGA) yesterday signed an agreement with the General Society of Authors and Editors of Spain (Sociedad General De Autores y Editores or "SGAE") for joint cultural activities to enhance the professional development of US and Spanish writers and directors, and to promote the exhibition of their works.
The cultural exchange agreement was signed by SGAE and the Guilds at a ceremony co-sponsored by the Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles on December 6, 1999.
The initial funding for joint projects for the year 2000 will be over $150,000. The activities for 2000 will include Spanish film festivals in the US and professional exchanges among US and Spanish writers and directors in the US and Spain. The 2001 budget will exceed $200,000. The funding for the joint cultural exchange is derived from a portion of the monies earmarked for the promotion of Spanish cinema and television and its artists collected from the levies on the sales of blank videotapes and video recording hardware in Spain.
Speaking on behalf of the WGAw, Executive Director John McLean stated: "This agreement assures that US writers have a voice in the development of cultural projects funded by the blank tape levies. The planned cultural exchanges will benefit both Spanish and US filmmakers."
DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth commented that "the Directors Guild of America is pleased to participate in this important program that will help build bridges of communication and collaboration between American and Spanish filmmakers."