San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Rave Doc ‘Between The Beats’ Acquired by Gravitas Ventures for U.S. and Canada (EXCLUSIVE)
Indie film distributor Gravitas Ventures has secured U.S. and Canadian rights to “Between The Beats,” a feature documentary chronicling San Francisco’s early 1990s rave scene and its lasting impact on the Bay Area.
Directed by Martin O’Brien and produced by O’Brien and Mike Koeppel, the film features prominent figures from the era, including Brian Behlendorf, DJ Harvey, DJ Dan and DJ Doc Martin. It examines the DIY ethos and psychedelic community spirit that defined the scene.
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The documentary explores how the all-night electronic music dance parties attracted diverse crowds and became catalysts for many attendees who later became significant players in Silicon Valley, global dance music and activism.
O’Brien, who was involved in creating the San Francisco rave scene, said: “The film was made to take viewers on a journey back to an early ’90s music scene that has since grown into the hugely popular EDM/electronica phenomenon across the globe. I wanted to capture the magic of those early years and celebrate transformational music and the powerfully positive energy among its participants.”
Mackenzie Maguire, acquisitions manager at Gravitas Ventures, added: “This intimate look into the San Francisco rave scene is sure to fascinate audiences nationwide.”
Gravitas Ventures, an Anthem Sports & Entertainment company, plans to release “Between The Beats” on digital platforms on October 15.
The company has been on an acquisition spree of late with recent pickups including sci-fi thriller “The Fix,” starring Grace Van Dien, who appeared in “Stranger Things”; drama “My Home Unknown” starring, written and produced by first time feature director Yaz Canli; Lou Simon‘s “9 Windows,” a modern re-telling of Director Alfred Hitchcock‘s 1954 classic, “Rear Window”; and horror thriller “I’ll Play Mother.”
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San Francisco, CA
San Francisco celebrates Christmas, first night of Hanukkah
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St. Anthony's Foundation serves Christmas Day meals in San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco hotel workers agree pay rise after 3-month strike
What’s New
Hilton hotel workers in San Francisco voted on Christmas Eve to approve a new union contract after a 93-day strike, according to the Unite Here Local 2 union.
The union, which represents about 15,000 workers in the region, announced that the deal settles the last of the city’s 2024 hotel strikes, covering approximately 900 Hilton workers.
Newsweek has contacted Unite Here Local 2 and Hilton via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The new contracts after this year’s strikes establish significant improvements in wages, health care and workload protections for workers at Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott-operated hotels.
The agreements conclude months of labor unrest that involved thousands of workers and disrupted San Francisco’s hotel industry.
What To Know
Hilton workers voted 99.4 percent in favor of the agreement on Christmas Eve, which includes a $3 per hour immediate wage increase, additional raises, and protections against understaffing and increased workloads.
The four-year contract preserves affordable union health insurance and provides pension increases. The deal covers workers at Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Parc 55, with 650 workers having actively participated in the strike.
This agreement follows similar contracts reached with Hyatt workers on Friday and Marriott workers last Thursday, covering a total of 2,500 workers who had been on strike since late September.
What People Are Saying
Bill Fung, a housekeeping attendant at Hilton San Francisco Union Square for 29 years, said: “These 93 days have not been easy, and I’m so proud that my coworkers and I never gave up. We stood together through the rain and cold, and even though there were some hard days, it was all worth it. We will go back to work with our health care, good raises, and the confidence of knowing that when we fight, we win.”
Lizzy Tapia, President of Unite Here Local 2, said: “Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott workers refused to give up their health care or go backwards – and we proved on the picket line that we’re not afraid of a tough fight. As contract talks begin with the city’s other full-service hotels in the new year, they should know that this is the new standard they must accept for their own employees.”
San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie said on X: “All those that have been out on strike will be back to work, and just in time for Christmas. So, things are looking bright as we head into 2025.
What Happens Next
Unite Here Local 2 said it would push for other full-service hotels in San Francisco to adopt the same standards established by the Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott agreements when contract negotiations resume in 2025.
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