Screenwriting guilds across the world are assembling under one roof in India—for the first time in history. In a landmark event for the film industry, the Screenwriters Association (SWA) of India will be hosting the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG) in the country. The mega gala will bring the leaders and scions of writers’ guilds globally together in Mumbai, from October 6-8.
India to host landmark International Writers Guild Meet in Mumbai
SWA is getting ready to welcome representatives from the Writers Guild of America (West & East), Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, Writers Guild of Canada, as well as delegates from European guilds, from Australia, NZ, Latin America, Africa, and Asia – who will be having a 3-day enlightening and formative discussion on the urgent challenges faced by screenwriters globally.
Mr. Zaman Habib, Mr. Anjum Rajabali and Mr. Mitesh Shah will represent the SWA at this AGM. “This is not just an event — it is a moment of international solidarity,” said Anjum Rajabali, Senior Writer and SWA Committee Member. “Writers everywhere face common struggles: for fair pay, residuals/royalties, creative rights, and protection from exploitation. But too often, multinational studios and streaming platforms treat writers in the Global South differently from their Western counterparts. This is modern-day cultural colonialism — and it must be confronted,” Rajabali added.
Calling it a “global forum to discuss and defend writers’ rights,” Zaman Habib, General Secretary of the SWA said, “From standard contracts to collective bargaining, IAWG works to ensure that screenwriters are recognised as the first creators in the filmmaking process. And SWA has their full support, now more than ever. We stand absolutely united, nationally and internationally, to reaffirm the creative power of writers at the heart of storytelling.”
The AGM will focus on developing strategies to ensure fair treatment and equitable contracts across borders, sharing best practices from recent guild negotiations worldwide (such as the WGA Strike of 2023) and standing united against discriminatory practices by Producers, Studios and Streaming Platforms alike.
In the past decade, the SWA has continued to work on its commitment of ensuring that Indian writers are accorded the dignity, respect, and compensation that they rightfully deserve. A one-of-a-kind event like this underscores SWA’s standing as the leading trade union for all screenwriters, and emphasises India’s growing role as a creative powerhouse in the global entertainment industry.
The International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG) is a global coalition of guilds and unions representing screenwriters in film, television, radio, and digital media. Founded to protect and advance the rights of writers worldwide, the IAWG unites guilds across continents in pursuit of fair contracts, fair pay, and fair credit.
The Screenwriters Association (SWA), India’s largest registered trade union for screenwriters and lyricists, represents thousands of its members from more than 12 languages across film, television, and digital platforms. Through advocacy, negotiation, and legal support, SWA works to protect the rights and interests of Indian storytellers.
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