Female Representation in Film Has Significantly Increased Over Last Decade, Says Study From Kering Women in Motion and Annenberg Inclusion Initiative

by

Since 2015, female directors have made substantial progress in countries such as the U.S., UK, and France, as shown by a study conducted by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and revealed at an event organized by Kering to celebrate the successes of its Women in Motion program, which pioneers women’s achievements.

Kering, the luxury group founded by Francois-Henri Pinault, is set to mark a decade of its Women in Motion initiative at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. As part of the celebration, key industry figures gathered for a discussion at Kering’s Paris office. Among those present were Iris Knobloch, president of Cannes, and Laurent Claquin, Kering’s group chief brand officer, who sat side by side during the roundtable.

From its beginning, Kering’s Women in Motion initiative has been a strong advocate for women in the film industry, amplifying the voices of female directors, producers, and other key players both on and off-screen. This program has celebrated the achievements of notable figures like Donna Langley from Universal Studios, Michelle Yeoh, Salma Hayek, Jane Fonda, and Viola Davis, to name a few.

OR

Kering’s Women in Motion program, since its start, has been a powerful advocate for women in the film industry. It has provided a platform for female talent such as directors, producers, and other key figures, both on and off-camera, to shine. This initiative has honored the accomplishments of influential individuals like Donna Langley (Universal Studios), Michelle Yeoh, Salma Hayek, Jane Fonda, and Viola Davis, among others.

As a movie enthusiast, I delved into an intriguing analysis spearheaded by Dr. Stacy L. Smith from Annenberg and Katherine Pieper. This comprehensive study scrutinized 3,240 blockbuster films produced in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, the U.S., and the U.K., all of which earned a minimum of $1 million worldwide. Moreover, it polled the lineups at five prestigious film festivals: Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, and Toronto.

Smith and Pieper studied talks held by Kering’s Women in Motion Program and found similarities between the issues discussed and actual advancements seen in the filmmaking industry. In the U.K., the proportion of women working behind the camera increased dramatically from 8.3% in 2015 to 32.3% in 2024. This figure rose from 8% to 16.2% in the U.S., and in France, it climbed from 14.4% to 25.9%.

Smith noted that over the past ten years, there’s been a significant improvement towards gender balance within the industry; however, full equality is still not attained yet. The representation of female main characters and co-stars has notably increased from 32% in 2015 to 54% by 2024.

In contrast, the research found that female characters continue to be under-portrayed across various films. Specifically, just 25.3% of the analyzed characters were older women (over 40 years old), while only about one-third (32%) of all speaking roles were given to women.

In my opinion as a movie reviewer, the landscape of filmmaking is subtly shifting, thanks to innovative financial models and content strategies being implemented. For instance, France’s National Film Board (CNC) has introduced a parity bonus, while the BFI in the UK has set inclusion standards for film funding. Screen Australia unveiled their Gender Matters program, and Netflix established a Fund for Creative Equality. Notably, Smith highlighted her Proof of Concept mentorship program, a joint initiative with Cate Blanchett and Dirty Films partner Coco Francini, designed to empower women, transgender, and nonbinary storytellers by providing them with enhanced career opportunities in the industry.

Over the past ten years, there’s been a significant rise in accolades bestowed upon female film directors. For instance, Chloé Zhao took home the Best Film award for “Nomadland” in 2021, while Justine Triet and Julia Ducournau won Palme d’Or awards at Cannes for their films “Anatomy of a Fall” and “Titane,” respectively. Audrey Diwan claimed Venice’s Golden Lion Award with “Happening,” and Carla Simón was awarded the Golden Bear at Berlin for her film, “Alcarràs.

Despite a study showing that female directors are represented in only less than 30% of the major film festivals, and despite top awards like the Oscars still not giving them enough recognition, only one woman – Coralie Fargeat of “The Substance” – was nominated for Best Director at this year’s Academy Awards.

Regarding her worries about the resistance to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the U.S., Smith commented that there’s a significant “chill” or suppression of such efforts, using Amazon as an example since they’ve removed their inclusion policy from their website. However, she believes that Generation Z’s emphasis on inclusivity will eventually compel corporations to acknowledge and reflect the diversity of the world in order to connect with these younger generations.

Smith remarked that there’s a strong possibility the proposal won’t be accepted due to this fact: out of the 338 million people residing in the U.S., only 77 million expressed their preference in a manner that appears exclusive.

She added: “It’s the audience that drives these companies’ decisions, so they must keep appealing to their audience by catering to their preferences. From the perspective of box office earnings, it’s evident that stories featuring women and individuals of color hold significant importance.

Read More

2025-04-09 18:47