‘Romería’ Director Carla Simón on the Importance of Gender Equity in Filmmaking: Women Are ‘Half of the World, We Should Tell Half of the Stories’

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As a passionate movie enthusiast, I had the privilege of attending Carla Simón’s enlightening talk during the Kering Women in Motion event at Cannes last Friday. In her insightful discussion, Simón emphasized the significance of gender balance in storytelling within our film industry. She powerfully stated, “It is crucial to remember that we, as women, make up half of the global population, and we should be responsible for sharing half of the world‘s stories.

This week, the Spanish director, who debuted her latest movie “Romería” in competition at Cannes Film Festival, emphasized that it’s crucial to have women both on and off screen.

She expressed her belief that progress, though gradual, is still occurring, albeit not at a rapid pace. She added that we’re currently living in a significant time where long-standing topics traditionally told by men are finally being readdressed from our perspective. This is crucial because, after all, we make up half the world’s population, and it’s essential to share our stories to gain a diverse understanding of the world.

Simon emphasized that it’s absolutely crucial because tales serve as the markers of our society and are fundamentally what drive the world’s progression.

She commented, “Step by step, we seem to be making progress.” However, it’s delicate… I believe we must continue discussing it and take precautions to prevent regression.

Simón’s film, titled ‘Romería,’ is deeply personal, as it revolves around a young woman who, being an orphan, embarks on a journey to Vigo, Spain, in search of details about her deceased biological father who passed away from AIDS. During this quest, she encounters his family, who are hesitant to delve into the past due to feelings of shame related to the same tragic event. Interestingly, Simón’s own life story shares striking similarities with that of the protagonist, as both lost their parents to AIDS when they were only 6 years old.

She expressed during her Kering talk that her movie was born from the frustration she felt as a child, not knowing much about her parents. Her family didn’t share many details with her, so she essentially had to piece together her own narrative. The film is centered around this idea, exploring how cinema can help fill in the gaps of our personal histories and create the images we lack.

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2025-05-23 18:16