A recent study examining the effects of gender equality policies on the global film industry reveals some positive advancements in the portrayal of women in the film sectors of the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. However, progress remains sluggish.
Presented at the Berlin Film Festival, the findings of the study titled “Re-Framing the Picture” shed light on the impact of gender equity policies (GEP) in the film industries of the aforementioned countries from 2005 to 2020. The research team, consisting of experts from various disciplines, analyzed 12,000 films from 34 nations to gauge the influence of diverse policies, such as mandating diversity standards for state funding.
Although the study noted slight improvement in the presence of women and gender minorities in the film sectors of the three countries, partly attributed to the introduction of new GEP policies, the results were not cause for celebration. Men continued to dominate key creative roles and the “network elite” in all three countries. In Germany, men held 74 percent of all key creative positions on average, and 86 percent of the network elite. In the U.K., these figures were 78 percent and 81 percent, respectively. In Canada, they were 77 percent and 82 percent.
According to the report, at the current rate of progression, achieving gender equity where women occupy 50 percent of key creative roles will take until the year 2215 in Canada (nearly 200 years), 2085 in the U.K. (over 60 years), and 2041 in Germany (more than 15 years).
Professor Deb Verhoeven, an expert in network analysis from the University of Alberta and one of the report’s authors, emphasized the importance of GEP policies addressing systemic issues rather than solely focusing on numerical representation. Verhoeven stated, “The film industry requires not just more women, but women in influential positions.”
Verhoeven also highlighted that the progress made by women and gender minorities did not come at the expense of men but rather as a result of industry expansion. The report emphasized the need for enhanced GEP policies with robust accountability measures, financial incentives, and the capacity to drive industry change.
Professor Doris Ruth Eikhof from the University of Glasgow, a policy analyst, emphasized the necessity of implementing policies that influence industry practices and ensure accountability. Eikhof emphasized that blaming women for their supposed lack of experience or confidence would not effect the systemic change required, advocating instead for women to have access to influential positions within the film industry.
To access the complete “Reframing the Picture” report, click here. For more information on the study, read here.