On November 5th, 6th, and 7th, 2024, the Federation of Latin American Audiovisual Authors Societies (FESAAL) - on the 5th - and the International Confederation of Audiovisual Authors (AVACI) - from the 6th to the 7th - will coincide in their annual assemblies in Mexico City.
On this occasion, the host societies welcoming audiovisual authors from different countries around the world will be the Mexican Society of Audiovisual Directors (SOMEDIRE), one of the oldest in Latin America founded in 1963 and chaired by director Juan Antonio de la Riva, and the General Society of Writers of Mexico (SOGEM), with writer and playwright Gerardo Luna Islas as president of the Board of Directors.
Both assemblies are part of a process of profound transformation that FESAAL has undertaken with the majority of the Latin American societies it contains, a statutory reform that puts audiovisual authors, screenwriters, and directors at the forefront of leadership and all directives and goal planning for the future of AVACI.
Juan Antonio de la Riva - Presidente SOMEDIRE / Gerardo Luna Islas - Presidente SOGEM
A new stage
For this transitional year of AVACI, provisional authorities have been established with a term of 12 months in order to register all formal, legal, tax, and accounting matters (it will be registered as a confederation under the laws of the Argentine Republic with headquarters in Buenos Aires) where the idea of both the existence of a Federation like FESAAL and a Confederation like AVACI was conceived during the successive visits of all Latin American societies to the homes of the Argentine Film Directors (DAC) and the General Society of Authors of the Argentine Republic (ARGENTORES).
For the current period, Miguel Ángel Diani, a film sceenwriter and president of ARGENTORES, one of the oldest societies of sceenwriters and dramatist authors in Latin America, about to celebrate 115 years, was elected as provisional President. Renowned author Daniella Castagno, current president of ATN in Chile, was elected as Vice President, and Horacio Maldonado, a director and screenwriter belonging to the DAC society in Argentina, was re-elected as Secretary General, where he also holds the same position.
Challenges for a Promising Future
At this moment, the International Confederation of Audiovisual Authors (AVACI) is working on the statutes that will provide its legal registration. "In this way, we will be able to resume the path we have been following since FESAAL, which is to manage to create laws that allow the existence of Audiovisual Rights Collective Management Societies in countries where they do not exist," said Miguel Ángel Diani, provisional President of AVACI.
Miguel Ángel Diani, president of AVACI
Diani added, "With the legal framework, we will be able to take our unwavering objectives to the world: support for emerging societies, the creation of audiovisual management societies, and appropriate laws. We will resume authors' work for authors. Without intermediaries."
In this regard, it is expected that all legal and formal matters will be concluded in the coming months in order to formalize them at the announced General Ordinary Assembly of this year in Mexico City.
Daniella Castagno, vice president of AVACI
"The support and unity among management societies have been, are, and will be fundamental to continue dreaming and moving forward firmly. We are guided by the conviction of solidarity, transparency, and loyalty among colleagues, which have brought us to this point. I am completely sure that we, the authors, know the depth of our needs and are the ones who must ensure our rights," stated screenwriter Daniella Castagno, Vice President of AVACI.
Meanwhile, AVACI's Secretary General, Horacio Maldonado, highlighted that "AVACI continues to grow now more than ever, with initiatives from India, the strengthening of Africa, and the assistance we have been providing to South Korea for years, allowing this society to achieve its goals. Additionally, new societies continue to join development plans in Latin America, and this makes us very happy."
It is worth noting that AVACI, in addition to encompassing all Latin American societies, has prompted changes in legislation in many territories and societies that are now collecting and distributing rights for their audiovisual authors and for all those with reciprocal assistance agreements worldwide.
Horacio Maldonado, general secretary of AVACI
Additionally, its main function is to provide the AVSYS System: a powerful operating system capable of managing an entire management society, with author and work modules, collection, and distribution. Emerging societies receive absolutely everything for free, with the necessary advice and training included, offered by FESAAL and AVACI in an open format and without these societies having to invest a single dollar.
