Female representation declines behind the scenes despite ‘Barbie’ success

Amidst the triumph of Greta Gerwig’s record-breaking success with “Barbie”, a disheartening trend emerges in the film industry: a decline in female representation behind the scenes in 2023’s top-grossing movies.

The Centre for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University conducted a study revealing a regression in the number of female directors on the 250 highest-grossing films. The study found that women occupied a mere 16% of directorial roles, a slight drop from the 18% recorded in the previous year.

Although there were slight improvements in female directorial representation higher up the ladder, with women helming 14% of the top 100 films, this still marked a modest increase from the 11% in 2022.

Despite standout movies from female filmmakers like Gerwig, Emerald Fennell (“Salburn”), Celine Song (“Past Lives”), and Sofia Coppola (“Priscilla”), alongside chart-topping concert films headlined by Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, the employment landscape for women in the film industry remains bleak.

The report highlighted that women encompassed only 22% of all key behind-the-scenes roles, encompassing directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers. This marked a decline from the 24% recorded in 2022.

Additionally, the study noted a staggering disparity, with 75% of top-grossing films employing 10 or more men in significant roles, while only 4% employed the same number of women.

Breaking down the roles further, women accounted for 26% of producers, 24% of executive producers, 21% of editors, 17% of writers, 14% of composers, and a mere 7% of cinematographers. Notably, the percentage of female composers saw a 6% increase, yet the number of women in roles as producers, executive producers, and writers declined or remained stagnant compared to the previous year.

Dr Martha Lauzen, the study’s author and founder of the centre, emphasised the persistent gender disparity within the mainstream film industry despite Gerwig’s remarkable feat.

“It’s the ultimate illusion, Greta Gerwig’s well-deserved triumph belies the inequality that pervades the mainstream film industry. Behind-the-scenes gender ratios in Hollywood remain dramatically skewed in favour of men,” Lauzen remarked, highlighting the stark reality portrayed by the statistical findings.

The study further revealed a correlation between female directors and increased hiring of women in various significant roles. Films directed by women showcased a higher proportion of female writers (61%), editors (35%), cinematographers (10%), and composers (26%) compared to those exclusively by male directors.

This disparity underscores the prevailing gender gap in Hollywood, casting a sobering light on the ongoing challenges women face in securing prominent roles behind the scenes despite notable achievements and critical acclaim.

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