America Ferrera’s Barbie movie monologue about the impossible standards placed on women went viral over the summer. So, perhaps it wasn’t a surprise that all eyes were on the actor in Los Angeles at the annual WIF – a gala to support Women In Film, the organisation that fights for gender parity in the entertainment industry.
‘I believe that storytelling is not just something we do in film, television, books, and entertainment. We tell stories all day, every day, in every single room we walk into,’ Ferrera said of why it matters that women have equity in Hollywood, as she accepted the Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award last night. ‘We tell and believe stories about who and what matters, who and what has value and who has the right to live and to work in safety, peace, and dignity. So, when we go to make our art as women in film, we are either upholding the stories that have shaped our lives historically or we are challenging them with new stories that compel us toward a different and a more just reality.’
The statistics back up Ferrera’s view that for female stories to succeed in Hollywood, we need women equally represented in all areas of the industry. It’s true we’ve come a long way from 1973, when a report in The Hollywood Reporter stating that only 2% of TV shows were written by women sparked legends of the big screen to galvanise and start Women In Film. Today 50% of TV episodes are written by women and over 20% of TV writers are women of colour, plus, of course, Barbie – a movie directed by a woman for a female audience – has become the highest grossing film of 2023 worldwide. And yet, as Ferrera’s fellow WIF honouree Eva Longoria, pointed out women still must prove themselves and go above and beyond to fight for the top jobs. Picking up the award for advocacy, the Flamin’ Hot director lamented that too often giving women top billing is still seen as ‘rolling the dice’ by studios – which then puts undue pressure on the women who succeed to overdeliver for fear of letting down their sex. ‘I don’t know why there’s this feeling women aren’t directors. We’re natural directors in life; we’re, like, bossy bitches! I like telling people what to do and I’m really good at it,’ she said. Her advice for anyone feeling that imposter syndrome? ‘You have to go in there and take the jobs.’
One person who’s done just that is Yara Shahidi, who took home the WIF Max Mara Face of the Future Award. Often hailed as the face of Gen Z activism, Shahidi got her big break aged 14 when she was cast in Black-ish, which went on to become one of America’s biggest TV comedy series. She’s gone on to combine acting – most recently as Tinkerbell in Disney’s live action remake of the classic Peter Pan – as well as producing her new movie Sitting In Bars With Cake, whilst also working to galvanise the youth vote.
‘Honestly, I’m really honoured because it’s surreal to be getting an award from a group of people who very much made my career possible,’ Shahidi said of the receiving the accolade. ‘I stepped into a world made better by Women In Film; made more exciting, more inclusive, made a better working environment as a result of a generation of women who have dedicated their career to not just what they were doing on screen but what’s happening behind the scenes has meant I’ve come through this industry fairly unscathed.’
For Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, granddaughter of Max Mara’s founder, Shahidi was the perfect choice for the award that recognises a new gamechanger in the industry. ‘She’s a great talent in terms of acting but there are so many different layers to her,’ Maramotti said of Shahidi. ‘She’s a producer and I admire how she uses her voice as a young 23-year-old to speak to her generation in terms of activism and voter rights as well as equality. She wants to deliver the message that education is very important to unlock equality and freedom.’
Max Mara has supported WIF for 20 years, in the past honouring Elizabeth Debicki, Gemma Chan and Hailee Steinfeld with the Face of the Future award. For Maramotti it’s a partnership that makes sense, given Max Mara’s mission to make clothes that give women confidence. ‘The best feeling for a woman is to feel good with herself,’ she said, stepping off the red carpet at the WIF gala in a Max Mara strapless floral dress. ‘To achieve that moment in life where you feel good and respect yourself is a very beautiful thing and I always want our garments to help you feel that way.’
Given half of Hollywood opted to wear Max Mara over the two-day celebration, it’s fair to say mission accomplished. Kate Hudson and Jane Fonda choose classic tailoring; whilst Yara Shahidi wore a backless white dress that looked effortless, and Eva Longoria went glitzy with a shimmering gown. Whatever the outfit though, the message was clear: style and substance are a powerful combination. Or, as Jane Fonda herself put it in a rallying cry to end her speech: ‘If we stick together, we’ll win.’