In the cinema, women are there and there as evidenced by the releases, this week, of Priscilla by Sofia Coppola andIris and men where the triumph ofAnatomy of a fall by Justine Triet and barbie by Greta Gerwig. However, everything is not as rosy as the world of the doll played by Margot Robbie from the point of view of parity. A common point shared by France and the United States.
A study signed Martha M. Lauzen published on the American site The Celluloid Ceiling reveals that the number of female directors only amounts to 14% for the 100 biggest Hollywood box office hits and only 16% if we extend this figure to the 250 feature films acclaimed by spectators. In terms of gender equity, the results leave something to be desired in France as well.
Progress made
L’gender equality observatory of the CNC, however, encourages change with its parity bonus which ensures 15% additional financial participation for productions which reserve a significant number of key positions for women. In 2023, 18% of films have benefited from it, as reported by a study published at the end of November 2023.
The composer Florencia Di Concilio to whom we owe in particular the scores of Five devils by Léa Mysius and Great Expectations by Sylvain Desclous notes the effects of these efforts. “There is real progress,” she confides to 20 minutes. When I see the number of women with whom I work, including as station managers, it’s day and night compared to when I started around fifteen years ago. »
Progress to be made
Director Catherine Corsini, whose The return was selected at Cannes in 2023, is much more reserved about the situation. “We are not yet considered equal,” she declared to 20 minutes. Cinema isn’t really the most feminist medium on earth. » Even the Palmes d’Or obtained by Justine Triet this year and by Julia Ducourneau in 2021 for Titanium do not really seem to have changed the situation. “Despite the international success and awards obtained by Anatomy of a fall, films directed by women always have a negative representation, insists Catherine Corsini. We’re moving forward slowly and things are moving in the teams, but we still don’t see many women where decisions are made. »
A profound movement
Audrey Diwan, director of The Event, Golden Lion in Venice in 2021, is more optimistic. “I don’t see how the industry could deprive itself of talents like Justine Triet or Greta Gerwig,” she told 20 minutes, but you have to be patient. I believe that profound change takes time and that we are on the right track. » The fact that the filmmaker is making a feminist remake of the erotic film Emmanuelle with Noémie Merlant starring gives confidence in the future of female cinema which we hope is full of surprises and great promises.