It appears there was more action outside of the film festival's theatre than inside.
There was a loud <a href='http://www.cbc.ca/arts/stories/frenchprotest20040422' target='_blank'>protest</a> among various entertainers and technicians who were furious at a plan to cut back on their unemployment benefits:
Quote:Current conditions require approximately 100,000 actors and technicians to work 507 hours each year to qualify for 12 months of unemployment pay.
The new plan [would] shorten the period to 507 hours worked during approximately 10 months to receive eight months pay.
The government said the changes were the result of wide abuse of the benefit plan.
In other words, we have 100,000 people who work
less than three months per year who want to be paid as if they are working all year long. Of course, this is all funded by the French public, by force. Three months work + nine months on the dole = Full annual benefits. Gee, I'm just so surprised this program was abused so much. I would've never thought... :rolleyes:
As if on cue, publicity hound and leftist multi-millionaire Michael Moore <a href='http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=511417§ion=news' target='_blank'>came to their rescue</a>, supporting the part-time workers' cause for full-time pay. Since Moore is obviously loaded, and will make a mint off his new "documentary", why doesn't he offer to pay the benefits for these protestors? Or is he just good at supporting the massive expenditures of
other peoples' money, abuse of the system be damned?
BTW, one of the most popular films shown at this festival thus far has been "The Edukator". It received a 10-minute standing ovation. The 'plot' of the film is of three young teens who break into rich peoples' homes, scatter their belongings around the floor, and leave notes that read, "you make too much money" or "your days of plenty are numbered". (ah... class warfare always gets a good cheer from the crowd)
Shouldn't these guys be breaking into Moore's million-dollar Manhattan home sometime soon?