New research from Mastercard has found that while representation of women on screen has improved, behind-the-scenes roles still lack parity. Surveying 1000 women in the UK who are working in the film industry – or aspiring to – almost half (48%) feel progress for women in film is reversing, with 58% citing a rise in 'more subtle' barriers compared to five years ago. A lack of industry contacts and limited funding were among the key obstacles female filmmakers say they face, with 1 in 4 considering leaving the industry.
However, there is still optimism for the future, with three quarters (76%) of the women surveyed confident that the next generation of female filmmakers will have better opportunities.
To launch the landmark Women in Film research, Mastercard hosted a panel at Cannes Film Festival with actor Ambika Mod (star of One Day, This Is Going To Hurt, and The Stolen Girl) and veteran producer Nisha Ganatra, who has also directed episodes of everything from Girls, to The Mindy Project and And Just Like That, and will be directing the Freakier Friday movie, out this summer.
Recalling her early experiences in the industry, Ganatra said: ‘The first time I shouted “Action!” on a set, heads whipped round. At lunch, so many women came up to me and said it was the first time they’d head a woman call “action” before.’
Mentorship is vital for aspiring female filmmakers, with a quarter (24%) stating that guidance from industry professionals would make the biggest difference in achieving their career goals. Ganatra advised aspiring filmmakers not to be shy in asking for help: ‘Nora Ephron once sad that women “save up” their favours, whereas men just keep asking.’
Like 47% of those surveyed, actor Mod believes in the importance of arts education to nurture the next generation of female creatives: ‘When funding gets cut, arts subjects are first to go, and that affects the people who need it most. Privilege often gives you access to the industry; if you’re marginalised in any way, it’s harder to break in.’ However, Mod believes technology has democratised access to the industry in some ways, saying ‘the power is online… you don’t have to have money to, say, put on a show, you can just self-film’.
She is cautiously optimistic: ‘Progress is happening, and doors are starting to open. But the findings are also a timely reminder that we’re not there yet - especially when it comes to behind-the-scenes roles,’ she says. ‘If we want lasting change, we need to make sure opportunities exist not just in front of the camera but across every part of the industry.’