Progress. This has been a remarkable year of progress for women in diverse roles in the film industry, both in front of and behind the camera.
Since 2001, Rochester’s High Falls Film Festival has showcased women who contribute to the art and business of film.
From the success of Wonder Woman — a female-driven action movie directed by Patty Jenkins that broke box-office records — to more evidence of equal pay among actors, women have made strides towards gender equality in the movie business.
Yet, despite the progress, here are recent statistics from a study from the USC Linguistics Lab that examined nearly 1,000 modern movie scripts:
- Female characters are invariably younger, speak less, and if removed from the plot, usually make no difference when compared to the roles of their male counterparts.
- Women have less than half the lines men do — 37,000 male lines vs. 15,000 for women.
- There are 12 times more male directors and seven times more male writers.
In favor of gender balance in films, a study conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media found that films promoting gender balance are more socially accepted and consistently make more money at the box office.
Producers and studio heads take note: Equality makes better business sense.
Now in the 17th year of the High Falls Film Festival, it is possible that our mission and our programming have never been more relevant. While strides have been made, it remains obvious that we have far to go in leveling the balance of gender roles in filmmaking. As an example, New York State has introduced legislation that would encourage the hiring of female and minority writers and directors.
It is important that our audiences realize it is not always about advancing a social position, but also the enjoyment of great art. A festival like ours is truly a celebration that gives people direct access to filmmakers, actors, directors, producers, and writers. We screen narrative feature film as well as documentaries and short films in celebration of visual storytelling. And because Rochester was the home to pioneers like Susan B. Anthony and George Eastman, this is the only town that can rightfully claim having a festival like ours.
There are many things that make our festival unique, but certainly near the top of the list is the diversity of our programming. Each year the festival provides film lovers the opportunity to see the finest independent films made by women, from high drama narratives to romantic comedies, fascinating documentaries and insightful short films. Director Q&As, panels, and workshops offer access to top film industry professionals.
From Nov. 2 to 6, we celebrate women in film and the art they make for everyone. The full slate of film for 2017 is online at HighFallsFilmFestival.com.
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