Netflix To Donate EUR 1 Mln To Audiens To Help Workers In TV, Cinema Industry

(RTTNews) - Video streaming giant Netflix said it will donate 1 million euros to Audiens, the social protection group of the French cultural sector, to help launch a COVID-19 emergency relief fund to support workers in the French television and cinema industry.

Netflix and Audiens said they have created the new COVID-19 Film and TV Emergency Relief Fund to help the hardest hit workers in the television and cinema industry of France. The fund was created in agreement with the French Minister of Culture represented by the Centre National du Cinema or CNC.

The grant will be available to the most vulnerable freelancers in the French audio-visual and movie sectors. These freelancers, including carpenters, electricians, and hair and make-up artists, live project to project and are unable to work due to the near global production shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Most of the funds will be used to support the hardest hit workers on Netflix's own productions in France and around the world.

In March, Netflix said it created a $100 million fund to help people in the creative community whose jobs were affected by the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to the new fund, Netflix committed to providing two weeks' pay to the crew and cast on productions the company was forced to suspend in mid-March.

Netflix will also provide $15 million to third parties and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work crew and cast in the countries where Netflix has a large production base.

The company noted that its donation to Audiens and to other organisations around the world, including UK, Italy and Spain, is part of the $15 million of the hardship fund.

In January, Netflix announced plans to significantly increase its investment in France with 20 new French productions, and partnerships with leading French creative institutions. The company opened its new headquarters in France, located in the heart of Paris.

Since launching in France in 2014, Netflix has developed 24 French titles, including 6 films, 9 series, 5 stand-up shows, 3 documentaries and 1 unscripted series.