Helen Mirren narrated documentary film, Love 99

LOVE 99 is a feature documentary following Los Angeles actors as they struggle with their own union for the right to work and create.

Helen Mirren narrated documentary film, Love 99, has launched a Kickstarter campaign for finishing funds and is on track for a December 2016 release. Directed by Veronica Brady, LOVE 99 is a feature-length documentary following the lives of nine actors (Richard Azurdia, Deborah Craig, Frances Fisher, Amir Levi, Katie Lowes, Rebecca Mozo, Graham Sibley, Michael Sheppard, and Daniel Stewart) in the Los Angeles 99-seat theatre scene as they fight for their passion during tumultuous times.

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A few months before filming began, Actors’ Equity Association – the actors’ union – announced it would terminate the contract governing and protecting how and when their members could work in the nearly 200 intimate theatres spread across the city. The union would enforce the dissolution of the “99-seat waiver contract,” as its known, against the wishes of its members. The loss of such artistic freedom quickly galvanized the community into action.

Actors struggled to respond to their union and despite meetings, protests and a vote against the contract changes from the actors themselves, Equity persisted in their plan to pull the 99 seat waiver contract. Faced with the no other alternative, a group of LA theatre professionals filed a law suit against Actors’ Equity. The plaintiffs in the case were: Ed Asner, Tom Bower, Gregg Daniel, John Flynn, Maria Gobetti, Gary Grossman, Ed Harris, Salome Jens, Veralyn Jones, Karen Kondazian, Simon Levy, Amy Madigan, Tom Ormeny, Lawrence Pressman, Michael Sheppard, Joseph Stern, French Stewart and Vanessa Stewart filed a suit against AEA and executive director Mary McColl.

LOVE 99 drops right down into the middle of this storm and gives the viewer unprecedented access into the wild, joyful, and passionate life of theatre artists in LA and exposes what they will do to protect their creative freedom.

LOVE 99 is produced by Planet Grande Pictures, a seven-time Emmy Award-winning documentary production company, in collaboration with Hybrid Collective.

For more information on the Pro 99 movement, please visit ILove99.org

About Planet Grande Pictures

Planet Grande Pictures is an independent production company based in Malibu CA, founded by multi-Emmy winners John Watkin & Eamon Harrington. The company has produced over 200 projects for major networks, including CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, HBO, SHOWTIME, CMT, FUSE, DISCOVERY, DISNEY CHANNEL & VH1.

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