Kristen Stewart Expresses Fury Over The Film Industry's Regression for Women
The renowned actress and filmmaker has stated she is “furious” that advancements for female directors in Hollywood have reversed after a brief period of positive change post the MeToo movement.
Stewart, who helmed the upcoming film her latest project, gave an impassioned address at a women’s luncheon in Los Angeles organized by the Oscars organization.
“The regression from a brief moment of advancement is statistically devastating,” she told the audience. “Such a pitiful number of films from the previous year have been directed by female filmmakers.”
An annual report that tracks the numbers of female filmmakers revealed that 11 of the top 100 films of last year were directed by women, down from 16 in 2020.
‘Male-Dominated Industry Model’
During her speech, Stewart said: “After the MeToo movement, it seemed possible that stories made by and for women were finally getting their due. That we could be permitted or even supported to share our views and our common stories, all of our experiences without filter.
“But I can now attest to the bare-knuckle brawling that it requires at each stage when the material is too grim, too controversial, when the honesty with which it serves up observations about situations commonly faced by females, frequently provokes aversion and dismissal.”
She added: “We can talk about pay disparities and taxes on tampons and quantify the imbalance in lots of quantifiable ways. But the violence of silencing, it’s like we’re not even supposed to be angry. But I can eat this podium with a utensil and sharp tool. I’m furious.”
Attendees listening to Stewart’s speech included a number of well-known female stars.
Stewart was met with several rounds of applause during the duration of her brief talk.
“I am thankful to you,” she stated. “I am not grateful a boys’ club business model that claims to desire to hang out with us while siphoning our resources and diminishing our genuine viewpoints. We must avoid being used as tokens. It’s time to create our own value.”
Upcoming projects from several female directors are among those for the next Academy Awards, but the best director category is once again expected to be dominated by men.
