Cultural policy
Pro Quote Film: Equality is progressing far too slowly
“Something is moving, but it’s still moving much too slowly,” says Eva Maria Sommersberg. photo
© Jeanne Degraa/dpa
It’s going in the right direction, but that’s not enough for the initiative: women are still completely underrepresented in the film business. Why “Barbie” is a milestone.
Ten years after the founding of “Pro Quote Film” is still not enough from the initiative’s point of view Women represented in the film business.
“Something is moving, but it is still moving far too slowly,” said director Eva Maria Sommersberg from the board of the Equal Opportunities Alliance. For example, more women worked in directing or production. Nevertheless, they are still completely underrepresented in some other trades, for example in the areas of camera or film composition.
Demands from the alliance
From the initiative’s perspective, the planned reform of the Film Funding Act is an opportunity for more diversity and equality. For example, the alliance demands that the awarding of public contracts and funding should be 50 percent gender-equitable and 30 percent diverse.
In recent years, individual production companies have voluntarily made their sets more family-friendly or employed diversity officers. But such a commitment also has its limits, especially if internal representatives cannot act independently or money becomes scarce, said board member Paula Essam. “Even if there is already goodwill among many companies, this legislation is so important because it simply means you no longer have a choice.”
Alliance: “Barbie” as a milestone
The alliance was founded in 2014. It also criticizes the fact that women over 35 disappear from the screen and that they earn significantly less than men. According to Sommersberg, box office hits like “Barbie” by US director Greta Gerwig are important for the visibility of women in the film industry.
“The fact that a lot of money was invested in marketing and that so many people listened to the feminist themes in the film is a milestone.” At a congress day during the Berlinale this Monday, the initiative would like to offer workshops for more empowerment.
For example, according to a 2021 study by the University of Rostock, women are still seen less often on television than men. But the study organizers also saw progress. The gender ratio in fictional TV productions is almost balanced.