The actress and director Voices Anger Over Hollywood's Backsliding for Female Professionals
The renowned actress and filmmaker has declared she is “so angry” that advancements for female directors in Hollywood have reversed after a brief period of positive change post the #MeToo era.
The Twilight star, who helmed the upcoming film her latest project, delivered an emotional address at a female-focused event in Los Angeles hosted by the Oscars organization.
“The regression from a brief moment of advancement is statistically devastating,” she informed attendees. “Such a pitiful number of films from the past year have been directed by female filmmakers.”
A yearly study that monitors the presence of female filmmakers revealed that eleven of the highest-grossing films of last year were helmed by female directors, a decrease from sixteen in the year 2020.
‘Male-Dominated Industry Model’
During her speech, Stewart said: “In a post-MeToo moment, it seemed possible that narratives made by and for women were finally getting their due. That we could be permitted or even supported to express ourselves and our common stories, all of our experiences unfiltered.
“However, I can confirm to the bare-knuckle brawling that it requires at each stage when the content is too grim, too controversial, when the honesty with which it serves up observations about situations routinely experienced by women, often elicits aversion and dismissal.”
She added: “We can discuss pay disparities and taxes on tampons and quantify the imbalance in many measurable forms. But the act of muting voices, it’s like we’re not allowed to feel rage. But I could devour this stand with a utensil and sharp tool. I’m so angry.”
Attendees hearing Stewart’s address included several prominent actresses.
Stewart received multiple ovations over the course of her brief talk.
“I appreciate you,” she stated. “I do not thank a male-centric industry framework that pretends to want to associate 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 a few women filmmakers are among those for the next Academy Awards, but the best director category is anticipated again to be dominated by men.
