‘Women advancing in movie industry’
VENICE: American actress Annette Bening said on Wednesday that she believes women are making progress in the movie industry, even though only one female-directed film had made it into the competition selection of the Venice film festival here, where she is chairing the awards jury.
“There is sexism of course, no question. But I think things are changing,” the Hollywood star said on the opening day of the festival, where China’s Vivian Qu, with Angels Wear White, is the only woman among 21 directors competing for its top prize, the Golden Lion.
“I was so thrilled to be asked to be here so I didn’t count the number of films that were accepted that were directed by women,” Bening said, while sitting next to Festival director Alberto Barbera, who was hit with a fierce social media backlash overnight after appearing to play down the shortage of women being showcased at the 74th edition of the world’s oldest film festival.
Bening said women had to be “very sharp and shrewd and creative ourselves about what we choose to make as films”, if the gender balance was to be improved.
“Most people that I know whether they are veterans or newcomers, whether they are men or women, most people struggle to get their movies made.
“It’s a long road. We have a long way to go in terms of parity in production, directors, writers, actresses appearing in film festivals, and all that but I think the direction that we are going in is positive.”