Two women directorshave been nominated for academy awards

1
Two women directorshave been nominated for
academy awards

• In fact, only two have ever been nominated --
  Lina Wertmuller for "Seven Beauties" in 1976 and
  Jane Campion for "The Piano" in 1993.
• No woman has ever won.

2
Guerilla Girls Billboard

• Female Senators 9, Female directors 4."
  That's according to a study undertaken at San
  Diego State University, and it suggests the
  extent to which the dreams that radiate off
  theater screens and into our culture are still
  almost exclusively the dreams of men.

3

• in film and TV, women directed 7 percent of the
  top-grossing 100 films released in 2000
• In 2001. The percentage of the top 100 films
  has gone way down. It looks like 4 percent, which
  means it's below 1992 levels.
• In 2005 back up to 7

4
Women Film Directors

• in film and TV, women directed 7 percent of the
  top-grossing 100 films released in 2000
• n 2001. The percentage of the top 100 films has
  gone way down. It looks like 4 percent, which
  means it's below 1992 levels.
• 2005 back up to 7

5
Is there a difference? Is it natural?

• What is the nature of their creative expression?
• Is there a distinctly female sensibility?
• New meanings?

6
Lack of Equality leads to Ghettoization

• Women filmmakers arent judged by their films
  necessarily
• They are immediately labeled as women directors
• The achievement of men sets the standards to
  which women aspire and against which womens
  achievements are measured
• The problem is perceived as womens need to catch
  up to men--not as a socioeconomic disparity or as
  an institutionalized power differential

7
The dreaded question

• Does it matter when viewing the film and in terms
  of its communication?
• Is it important to know the gender, sexual
  preference or race of an artist?
• When I ask this I am not speaking of your
  entertainment.