As a passionate advocate for gender equality in the film and TV industry, I find it disheartening to see the persistent underrepresentation of women in key roles across Spain, Mexico, and Argentina. Having spent years immersed in this vibrant world, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible talent that women bring to the table.
Women are significantly underrepresented in the film and TV production industries across numerous nations, including Spain, Mexico, and Argentina. During the closing day of Iberseries & Platino Industria, a discussion panel was held, presenting research on women’s involvement in these countries’ audiovisual sectors. The speakers at this event urged for an adjustment in perspectives and advocated for increased support to boost the visibility of female industry professionals.
On the last day of the grand gaming convention centered around content in Spanish and Portuguese, I had the pleasure of attending a session led by scholars from Nebrija University in Spain. The panelists included Mercedes Herrero de la Fuente, Cristina Angeles, Rocio Gago, and Sabrina Farji from the Audiovisual Equality Observatory (OIA) in Argentina. Marta Saavedra, director of the Cinema, Women and Education (CIMUED) chair at Nebrija University, skillfully moderated the discussion.
In 2023, data presented by Herrero de la Fuente demonstrates that women comprised just 38% of production professionals in Spain. Given the Spanish equality law’s definition of a balanced gender ratio as at least 60:40, she noted that this field can be considered predominantly male.
Additionally, she emphasized that women are often underrepresented in many job fields within the industry, with exceptions being roles centered around aesthetics. For instance, women make up an overwhelming majority in areas like costume design (85%), makeup artistry (81%), and art direction (64%).
Women’s participation is relatively minimal in technical aspects like cinematography, sound, and direction (accounting for 24%), indicating a lack of representation in the audio-visual industry within our nation. As Herrero de la Fuente stated, “Women are underrepresented in the audio-visual field in this country.
Angeles remarked that in Mexico, much like elsewhere, “there’s still work to be done” and emphasized that “it’s crucial to ensure women remain active within the industry once they’ve directed their debut film.
In the previous year, it was found that women represented 21% of cinematographers, 26% of directors, and 39% of screenwriters within the country’s film industry. Conversely, they made up an impressive 65% of the producers in this field.
In Argentina, Farji mentioned that there is data on popular films showing 34% of professionals being women. Following the #MeToo movement, the number of women, particularly directors, saw an improvement, but this progress was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a “devastating” effect. She added that it’s like a rollercoaster ride, and it’s more difficult for women to bounce back. However, it’s worth noting that women are typically better represented in genres such as documentaries.
In Argentina, the manufacturing sector has almost completely halted due to political disagreements, leading her to remark, “We’ve reached an equal state of zero.” The government under far-right leader Javier Milei implemented a contentious plan, withdrawing all financial support for the national film industry. This move serves as another blow amidst Argentina’s existing economic hardships.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Gago highlighted essential points and estimated that in the three nations under consideration, women professionals account for approximately 30% of the workforce within the specific sector. She advocated for the industry to begin entrusting women with greater responsibilities beyond their customary roles.
According to Herrero de la Fuente, there’s often less faith placed in women overseeing larger-budget projects. She ponders if this might partially stem from the fact that women are proficient at stretching resources and making things work efficiently with limited funds. In conclusion, she emphasizes the importance of considering bigger-scale projects: “We need to think beyond our current means.
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2024-10-04 15:24