>> Disney, Marvel Among Hollywood Studios Threatening to Stop Filming in Georgia If ‘Anti-LGBT’ Bill Is Enacted
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Les plus grandes sociétés de production américaines, avec en tête les studios Disney, Marvel ou encore Time Warner, CBS Corporation, HBO, Sony Pictures, la Fox et AMC ont décidé de s’engager et menacent de cesser leurs tournages en Géorgie, état du sud historiquement conservateur. Ils protestent contre une loi qui, sous prétexte de revendications identitaires-religieuses et protéger la « liberté de culte », ouvre « la porte à la discrimination dans les services sociaux et de l’emploi contre un grand nombre de Géorgiens », dont bien évidemment les homosexuels, considérés plus que d’autres comme des « hérétiques » !
Les députés ont déjà voté le texte, qui attend encore la signature du gouverneur républicain Nathan Deal. Il a jusqu’au 3 mai pour le promulguer. Si c’était le cas, cette loi, « Free Exercise Protection Act », inspirée du « Religious Freedom Restoration Act » votée en 1993 sous Bill Clinton, permettrait aux entreprises de licencier leurs employés en raison de l’orientation sexuelle, refuser de servir des clients parce qu’ils sont gays, ainsi qu’aux fonctionnaires de les marier, toujours au nom de leurs croyances.
« Inacceptable » pour les compagnies, soutenues par la Human Rights Campaign, la plus grande association aux Etats-Unis de défense des droits des LGBT, qui ont ainsi décidé de faire pression :
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« Disney et Marvel sont des entreprises inclusives, et bien que nous ayons eu de très bonnes expériences précédemment en Géorgie, nous prévoiront désormais de faire des affaires ailleurs », a indiqué le 23 mars dernier un représentant des studios.
Même message chez Time Warner, pour qui « la diversité sous toutes ses formes est au centre du système des valeurs et succès de l’entreprise. Nous sommes fermement opposés au langage discriminatoire et aux intentions de cette loi sur la liberté religieuse, qui viole clairement nos principes d’inclusion et la possibilité pour tous de vivre et de travailler sans souffrir de discrimination. »
La ligue nationale de football américain (NFL) a également rejoint le mouvement et brisé les rêves d’Atlanta, la « capitale » de l’état, qui espérait accueillir la grande finale du « Super Bowl » en 2019 ou 2020. « Nous privilégions la tolérance et luttons contre toutes les formes de discrimination, qu’elles soient fondées sur l’âge, le sexe, la race, la religion ou encore l’orientation sexuelle. Ce sont des facteurs qui influent tout autant dans notre sélection des sites potentiels », a insisté Brian McCarthy, porte-parole de la ligue, mettant ainsi en garde les prochaines villes dans leurs élans.
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Une réflexion qui chamboule aussi le calendrier de la « National College Football Championships » initialement prévu en 2018 dans la ville, et le tournoi du « Final Four basketball », en 2020, et que les organisateurs prévoient désormais d’annuler : « L’égalité étant au cœur de nos valeurs, nous ne pourrons pas jouer à Atlanta », ont-ils expliqué en exhortant le gouverneur de l’état à exercer son droit de veto contre cette « House Bill 757 ».
Pasteur baptisme, Nathan Deal a effectivement focalisé ses vocations, depuis le début de son mandat, à l’amélioration de l’économie de la Géorgie. Régulièrement sollicitée pour les tournages de films, séries et autres émissions, le départ des studios serait une perte considérable pour la région et ses environs.
Terrence Katchadourian
stophomophobie.org
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>> Time Warner, 21st Century Fox and the Weinstein Co. joined the campaign Thursday to pressure Georgia Governor Nathan Deal to veto what critics are calling an “anti-LGBT” bill.
The Weinstein company said it would end its plans to film a biopic of Richard Pryor in the state later this year. The movie is to be directed by Lee Daniels and will star Oprah, Eddie Murphy, Kate Hudson and Tracy Morgan.
“The Weinstein Company will not stand behind sanctioning the discrimination of LGBT people or any American,” the statement said.
The company said it “will move the production if this unlawful bill is enacted. We hope Governor Deal will veto bill HB 757 and not allow sanctioned bigotry to become law in Georgia.”
Time Warner, the corporate parent of CNN, said in a statement Thursday, “We urge Governor Deal to exercise his veto.”
The three divisions of Time Warner — HBO, Turner and Warner Bros. — all do business in Georgia. Turner, the division that houses CNN, is based in Atlanta and has thousands of employees in Georgia.
21st Century Fox also joined the list of opponents on Thursday.
“On behalf of 21st Century Fox’s many creative partners and colleagues who choose to film their projects in the beautiful state of Georgia, we join the growing coalition of businesses in asking Governor Deal to veto this bill,” Fox said.
Sony Pictures, Lionsgate and Starz, which shoots “Survivor’s Remorse” in Atlanta, also urged Deal to veto the bill on Thursday, but they stopped short of saying they would leave the state if the bill is signed into law.
Deal has until May 3 to decide whether to veto the bill.
On Wednesday several other major media companies — Disney, Viacom and AMC Networks — publicly opposed the bill. Other firms like Apple, Dell, Hilton and Marriott have also spoken out.
Disney said Wednesday it would end filming at Pinewood Studios outside Atlanta. It has filmed several movies there, including “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.”
AMC’s popular series “The Walking Dead” is filmed in Georgia. The company did not say whether or not it intends to move production elsewhere if the bill passes.
The other media companies have stopped short of saying they’d boycott the state.
The bill in question, recently passed by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature, would give faith-based organizations in Georgia the option to deny services to gay people.
Proponents say the bill, dubbed the Free Exercise Protection Act, would protect religious freedoms.
Opponents like the Human Rights Campaign say it is “anti-LGBT” and “appalling.”
The bill is awaiting Deal’s signature.
Time Warner’s statement said, “We strongly oppose the discriminatory language and intent of Georgia’s pending religious liberty bill, which clearly violates the values and principles of inclusion and the ability of all people to live and work free from discrimination.”
“All of our divisions — HBO, Warner Bros. and Turner — have business interests in Georgia, but none more than Turner, an active participant in the Georgia Prospers campaign, a coalition of business leaders committed to a Georgia that welcomes all people,” the company added. “Georgia bill HB 757 is in contradiction to this campaign, to the values we hold dear, and to the type of workplace we guarantee to our employees.”
The NFL’s also threat to re-evaluate Georgia’s Super Bowl dreams :
“NFL policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “Whether the laws and regulations of a state and local community are consistent with these policies would be one of many factors NFL owners may use to evaluate potential Super Bowl host sites.”
With the Super Bowls in doubt, questions have also been raised about the future of the 2018 National College Football Championships and the 2020 Final Four basketball tournament, both scheduled to be hosted in Atlanta.
On Monday the NCAA warned it is watching legislation that could affect any of its future host cities.
All eyes are now on Gov. Deal, a Southern Baptist who has spent the bulk of his time as governor focusing on improving Georgia’s economy, including by bringing businesses like Porsche North America, industries like film production, and events like the Super Bowl, to Georgia.
Critics say Georgia’s RFRA bill could endanger them all.
“I think he’s probably staying up at night between the Super Bowl and the Hollywood people,” said a longtime Georgia lobbyist with close ties to Deal. “He’s staked a lot of his legacy on economic development. I think that’s going to weigh on him very heavily if these folks say they’re going to pull up stakes.”
