Gender Equity in Film Will Only Be Reached in 2215 in Canada, 2085 in U.K., 2041 in Germany at Current Pace: Study
A new study on the impact of gender equality policies on the international film industry shows some improvement in the representation of women in the British, German and Canadian industries, but progress is slow.
The results of the study, “Re-Framing the Picture,” were presented at the Berlin Film Festival on Tuesday. An international and multidisciplinary research team looked at the impact of gender equity policies (GEP) across the film industries of the three countries between 2005 and 2020. The study also examined 12,000 films from 34 countries for evidence of the impact of different policies, such as diversity standards being a requirement to receive state funding.
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While the report found some small numerical improvement in women and gender minorities working in the countries’ film sectors, progress the report attributed in part to new GEP policies, the results were nothing to cheer about. The ranks of key creative positions, and that of the “network elite” were still dominated by men. In Germany, on average, 74 percent of all key creative positions and 86 percent of the network elite were men. The numbers in the U.K. were 78 percent and 81 percent, respectively. In Canada, they stood at 77 percent and 82 percent.
“At the current rate of progress, gender equity, where women occupy 50 percent of key creative positions, will only be achieved in the year 2215 in Canada (i.e. in nearly 200 years), in 2085 in the U.K. (in more than 60 years), and 2041 in Germany (in more than 15 years),” the report found.
(A similar study, published by UCLA in association with Lionsgate last year, found that, for directors, it will take the U.S. 175 years to reach gender parity.)
One of the report’s authors, network analysis expert Professor Deb Verhoeven of the University of Alberta, said the research underscored the need for GEP policies to address systemic issues, not just target numerical representation. “The film industries do not just need more women, but women in the right positions,” Verhoeven said.
Verhoeven pointed out that “the modest gains made by women and gender minorities have not come at the expense of men [but] have arisen as the result of an expansion of the industry rather than a displacement of men.”
The report called for more and better GEP policies with “strong accountability mechanisms, financial incentives, and the ability to actively drive industry change.”
“The task now is to mainstream policies that reach into industry practice and create accountability,” said policy analyst Professor Doris Ruth Eikhof of the University of Glasgow. “It is also clear that seeing women as ‘at fault,’ as lacking experience or confidence, is not going to bring the systemic change we need. Women need access to influential positions within the film industry, not just to the industry overall.”
You can download the full “Reframing the Picture” report here.
Updated on Feb. 22: In response to the report’s publication, Canadian federal film funding body, Telefilm Canada, released the following statement:
Responding Statement from Julie Roy, Executive Director & CEO, Telefilm Canada
Over the past six years, Telefilm has undergone a significant transformation, embracing and implementing industry feedback, and best practices, on important matters relating to equity, diversity and inclusion – which encompasses our work on gender parity, environmental sustainability, supporting emerging filmmakers, and greater transparency through data collection reporting. The evolution of Telefilm, and the progress of the audiovisual sector in Canada, stem from collaborative efforts with industry partners from not only within our country but also extending well beyond our borders.
Since initiating a more inclusive approach to our programs, which started the collecting of data on gender parity in 2017, Telefilm has witnessed a remarkable shift, culminating in achieving parity in funded projects during the fiscal year 2020-2021. Subsequent annual reports continue to demonstrate that gender parity zones are reached. As Telefilm’s data collection evolved in recent years, we started paying close attention to intersectional identities, notably with regard to the situation of Black Women and Women of Colour, and that of Indigenous Women.
Contrary to recent claims published in the research study Re-Framing the Picture, our available data presents factual statistics on the projects Telefilm has supported over the years, revealing a very different narrative. We have also adopted a rigorous and respectful data collection methodology, based on self-identification, and it is of utmost importance that we adhere to these standards.
Attaining gender parity, in the projects we fund, serves as a starting point in normalizing gender equity within our industry. As Telefilm establishes a new strategic plan for the next three years, the commitment to working through the lenses of equity, diversity, inclusion and sustainability remains.
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