The actress and director Voices Anger Over The Film Industry's Backsliding for Women
The renowned actress and filmmaker has declared she is “furious” that progress for female directors in the film industry have gone backwards after a short-lived surge of improvement post the MeToo movement.
The Twilight star, who directed the forthcoming film The Chronology of Water, delivered an emotional speech at a female-focused event in LA hosted by the Oscars organization.
“The regression from a short period of advancement is statistically devastating,” she told the audience. “Such a pitiful number of films from the past year have been directed by female filmmakers.”
An annual report that monitors the presence of women directors revealed that 11 of the top 100 films of 2024 were helmed by female directors, down from sixteen in 2020.
‘Boys’ Club Business Model’
During her speech, Stewart said: “After the MeToo movement, it appeared likely that narratives made by and for women were at last receiving recognition. That we might be allowed or even supported to express ourselves and our common stories, every aspect of our lives unfiltered.
“However, I can confirm to the intense struggle that it requires at each stage when the material is too dark, too taboo, when the frankness with which it serves up observations about experiences commonly faced by females, often elicits aversion and dismissal.”
She continued: “We can discuss wage gaps and menstrual product taxes and quantify the imbalance in many measurable forms. But the act of muting voices, it’s like we’re not allowed to feel rage. But I can eat this podium with a utensil and sharp tool. I’m furious.”
The guests listening to Stewart’s speech included a number of well-known female stars.
Stewart received several rounds of applause during the duration of her brief talk.
“I am thankful to you,” she stated. “I do not thank a boys’ club business model that pretends to want to hang out with us while siphoning our resources and diminishing our genuine viewpoints. We must avoid being used as tokens. Let’s start printing our own currency.”
New films from several female directors are in the running for the next Academy Awards, but the best director category is once again expected to be dominated by men.
