The biggest advance and most gratifying surprise among the results of the new study by Dr. Martha M. Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University: The percentage of women working as directors and writers on independently and domestically produced films reached historic heights in 2019-2020. Women comprised 38% of directors – up from 33% in 2018-19 – and 29% in 2017-18. And also accounted for 35% of writers – up from 32% in 2018-19 and 26% in 2017-18.
Likewise, in 2020, the 50×50 Movement is gradually showing effects: Although in 2019-2020, high-profile festivals in the U.S. selected and/or screened twice as many narrative features directed by men as by women, they selected and/or screened an almost equal number of documentaries directed by women as by men.
Regardless of the fact that the selection of the 22 film festivals studied (see below) represents only a fraction of the approximately 3,000 film festivals estimated by the Film Festival Alliance, the result nevertheless represents a trend. All the more, as some are among the world’s major festivals and, thus, as so-called re-enactment festivals, ensure a corresponding distribution of women’s film works.
A brief version of the study report can be found here
AFI Fest; Ashland Independent Film Festival; Atlanta Film Festival; Austin Film Festival; Chicago International Film Festival; Cinequest Film Festival; Cleveland International Film Festival; Florida Film Festival; Hamptons International Film Festival; Nantucket Film Festival; New Directors/New Films; New York Film Festival; Palm Springs International Film Festival; Rhode Island International Film Festival; St. Louis International Film Festival; San Francisco International Film Festival; Santa Barbara International Film Festival; Slamdance Film Festival; Sundance Film Festival; SXSW Film Festival; Telluride Film Festival; Tribeca Film Festival.
