The progress of gender equality within the international cinema industry has been ponderous, especially when gauging the participation and representation of women. A recent study titled “Re-Framing the Picture” discloses some silver linings, highlighting how gender equity policies have brought about slight improvements in the film industries of Britain, Germany, and Canada. However, it contends that at the current pace, achieving equal representation will take many years. The study, beneficially, also brings to the table some recommendations to ensure the film industry doesn’t just recruit more women, but employs them in influential positions.
Unveiling the “Re-Framing the Picture” Study
The comprehensive findings of “Re-Framing the Picture” were made public at the Berlin Film Festival recently. The study, conducted by a multinational and multidisciplinary team of researchers, scrutinized the impact of gender equity policies across the British, German, and Canadian film industries between 2005 and 2020. An additional investigation of 12,000 films from 34 countries was carried out to discern the effect of various regulations, like the necessity of diversity norms to access state funds.
An Analysis of the Findings
Though the research discovered slight numerical improvement in the engagement of women and gender minorities within the film sectors of these countries, the progress, partly credited to new gender equity policies, was cinched at a modest pace. The domination of men in key artistic roles and the network elite in these countries remained rather conspicuous. In fact, 74% of all essential creative positions and 86% of the network elite in Germany were occupied by men. Comparable numbers were found in the U.K. and Canada, with the respective figures soaring to 78% and 77% for key creative roles and reaching 81% and 82% for the network elite.
A Glimpse into the Future: 2215, 2085, and 2041
With the current rate of progress, the report predicted that gender equity, where women fill half of the pivotal creative positions, will only be realized in 2215 in Canada, 2085 in the U.K., and not until 2041 in Germany.
Research Findings Interpretation and Recommendations
Professor Deb Verhoeven, an author of the report and a network analysis expert from the University of Alberta, underscored that while the strides made by women and gender minorities have resulted from industry growth and not from displacing men, there’s indeed a need for gender equity policies to address systemic issues. They shouldn’t just aim at increasing the numerical representation of women. Policies should strive for women’s active participation in influential positions, she added.
Moreover, she added that upcoming gender equity policies should have strong accountability mechanisms, financial incentives, and the potential to tangibly effectuate industry change. Another expert on the topic, Professor Doris Ruth Eikhof from the University of Glasgow, called for mainstreaming policies that infiltrate industry practices and lead to accountability. She further stressed that blaming women for lacking experience or confidence won’t yield the systemic change necessary for gender equity, instead, women should be provided access to influential positions within the film industry.
The full “Reframing the Picture” report can be read here.
Wrapping Up
While the “Re-Framing the Picture” report illuminates a modest advancement in the representation of women in the film industry, it also underlines the dire necessity for more efficient policies for achieving gender equity. The need of the hour, it seems, is to not just increase the number of women in the industry, but to ensure they hold key, influential positions as well. For more insights and discussions around the film industry, visit HitPlay.
