Women only directed 8% of the top-grossing films for 2018

Disappointing.

It seems we’re only going backward when it comes to gender equality in the film industry.

In a new report by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, it’s been revealed that the number of women behind the 2018’s top films has slipped.

Out of the 250 highest-grossing films for the year, only eight per cent were directed by females. A number which is down three per cent from 2017.

Sadly, those numbers are pretty consistent across the whole industry, with the study also finding that just one per cent of films employed 10 or more women in key behind-the-scenes roles.

Women accounted for 16 per cent of writers, 21 per cent of executive producers, 26 per cent of producers, 21 per cent of editors, and 4 per cent of cinematographers working on the top 250 films.

“The study provides no evidence that the mainstream film industry has experienced the profound positive shift predicted by so many industry observers over the last year,” said executive director of the Center, Dr. Martha Lauzen. “This radical underrepresentation is unlikely to be remedied by the voluntary efforts of a few individuals or a single studio.”

Let’s hope we see some change in 2019.

womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu