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Nicolas Cage to skip Fantasia Festival in Montreal due to SAG-ACTRA strike

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Actor Nicolas Cage poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. A Montreal film festival says Cage will no longer make an appearance due to the U.S. actors' strike. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin

MONTREAL — A Montreal film festival says Nicolas Cage will no longer make an appearance due to the Hollywoodactors' strike.

Cage had been set to receive the career achievement award at the Fantasia International Film Festival, which celebrates genre cinema such as horror and science fiction.

Cage's latest film, "Sympathy for the Devil," is to premiere at the festival on Saturday, but he will no longer be in attendance. 

The performers union SAG-AFTRA began a strike last Friday, and its rules prohibit members from promoting studio films.

In a notice on its website, Fantasia says it will provide regular updates about other SAG members who had planned to attend.

The festival, which runs from July 20 to Aug. 9, says it supports the actors, as well as the striking Writers Guild of America, and hopes the unions get a fair deal soon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2023.

The Canadian Press

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