Venice Festival Juror Jennifer Kent Disappointed by Lack of Female Directors in Competition This Year

Jennifer Kent, a member of this year’s jury for the Venice International Film Festival whose film “The Nightingale” was the only female-directed film in last year’s competition, says she’s disappointed that this year’s Venice features only two films directed by women out of 21 in competition. “I think it’s an issue,” Kent told TheWrap, who broke out with her 2014 debut feature “The Babadook” and won a special jury prize for “The Nightingale” in Venice last year. “I hoped there would be more. I really did.” The Australian filmmaker noted the challenges that she and women like this year’s jury president, Argentinian director Lucrecia Martel (“Zama”), faced in the film industry even in the midst of calls for greater gender representation. “There are some incredible women out there making films, and we need to see them, and they need to be in festivals, A-list festivals, and have the opportunity that men are having,” she said. “All I can do from my perspective is keep making films, no matter how hard it is.” Reps for the Venice festival did not return multiple requests for comment, though festival chief Alberto Barbera defended the competition lineup to Variety by noting that less than...