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The Gender Equity Policy (GEP) Analysis project has released its findings in the industry report Re-Framing the Picture: An International Comparative Assessment of Gender Equity Policies in the Film Sector.

The research underscores that policies need to address systemic issues, not only target numerical representation.

Crucially, as Professor Deb Verhoeven of the University of Alberta, Canada explains: “To date, the modest gains made by women and gender minorities have not come at the expense of men. Gender equity benefits have arisen as the result of an expansion of the industry rather than a displacement of men.”

The film industries do not just need more women, but women in the right positions, the report indicated. Re-Framing the Picture advocates for policies with strong accountability mechanisms, financial incentives, and the ability to actively drive industry change.

The project team leads includes academics from Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, Germany; The University of Glasgow; The University of Alberta, Canada; and University of Rostock, Germany in addition to a researcher from Deakin University, Australia.

The project leads from Germany, Canada and Scotland will discuss the report at the launch event today in Berlin, Germany with Maria Furtwängler (actor and gender equity campaigner), Sara Putt (Chair of BAFTA - British Academy Film and Television Arts) and Manori Radvindran (Chair of the UK Broadcasting Press Guild).

Project lead Professor Skadi Loist, Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, Germany, said “Gender inequity is now recognised as a key problem in film. But progress is much too slow. Our research confirms that we need to address structural change for an intersectional, sustainable and equitable industry. Our research shows how policy can accelerate change in the right direction.”

Data specialist Professor Elizabeth Prommer, University of Rostock, Germany, highlights: “We analysed more than 12,000 films from 34 countries and found evidence of the impact of policy. Where funding requires the fulfilment of diversity standards, for instance, films show a significantly higher share of women in key creative roles.”

Policy analyst Professor Doris Ruth Eikhof, University of Glasgow, UK, sees some cause for optimism: “We’ve seen a welcome boost in gender equity policy. The task now is to mainstream policies that reach into industry practice and create accountability. It is also clear that seeing women as ‘at fault’, as lacking experience or confidence, is not going to bring the 2 systemic change we need. Women need access to influential positions within the film industry, not just to the industry overall.”

Network analysis expert Professor Verhoeven warned that simple solutions may not always be the best solutions. “Simply preventing men from dominating at the team level does not necessarily disrupt men’s dominant positions in the industry overall. All that happens is we get fewer men with relatively more power. This is an important and difficult distinction to get one’s head around. Improving the number of women and people who identify as gender minorities in the industry is critical, but we also need strategies that disrupt men’s behaviours such as the predominant tendency for men to collaborate with other men, a major gender disparity in the formation of professional networks.”

Key Findings:

1. Rising Recognition but Slow Progress:

• Gender equity policies have increased in number since 2013/14 across Germany, the UK and Canada.
• On the whole, policies recognize gender equity as a structural problem and focus on improving the under-representation of women.
• Progress in achieving equitable representation of men and women in key creative roles is painstakingly slow, with distinct trajectories in each jurisdiction.

2. Equity Gains without Male Displacement:

• To date, gains made by women and gender minorities have not come at the expense of men, indicating gender equity benefits have arisen as the result of an expansion of the industry rather than a displacement of men.

3. Gender Disparities in Project Collaborations:

• Men predominantly collaborate with other men, highlighting a major gender disparity in the formation of professional networks.

4. Policy-Reality Gap:

• Current policies often fall short of addressing the root causes of gender inequity.
• Weak mechanisms for accountability and evaluation make policies susceptible to faux- or no-compliance. 5. Need for Policies to Address Structural Change:
• Achieving equity requires not only an increase in the number of women but also structural changes in power dynamics.
• Policies must be intersectional, sustainable, and address both short- and longterm impacts.

6. Need for Policies to Consider Customized Approaches for Varied Contexts:

• Hypothetical modeling of different interventions shows varying success rates across different jurisdictions. This finding suggests that there is no one-sizefits-all solution, and emphases the need for policies that are attuned to distinct industry contexts.

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Re-Framing the Picture: An International Comparative Assessment of Gender Equity Policies in the Film Sector.

The Re-Framing the Picture report is published by the Gender Equity Analysis project, a pioneering study of gender equity policy in the film industries of Germany, the UK and Canada.

Using comprehensive quantitative analysis of industry data, policy analysis and interviews with industry experts, the project drives meaningful change and fosters inclusion in the global film sector. Innovative social network analysis of industry data compared current networks and modelled “what if” scenarios. The report also includes analysis of the 34 film industries supported by the Eurimages fund.

The project team leads includes academics from Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, Germany; The University of Glasgow; The University of Alberta, Canada; and University of Rostock, Germany in addition to a researcher from Deakin University, Australia

This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council; the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG – German Research Foundation) under Sixth Open Research Area (ORA) for the Social Sciences; and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).The support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG – German Research Foundation) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) are gratefully acknowledged

First published: 20 February 2024