Women seek changes in film industry

NEW YORK — Anger, shock, unity and solidarity: Those were the prevailing emotions on Tuesday at a Manhattan event for women filmmakers, writers and actors, where the Harvey Weinstein scandal wasn’t far from anyone’s mind.

“I’m mad as hell!” Jane Rosenthal, executive chair of Tribeca Enterprises, said to the crowd.

Rosenthal did not reserve her ire for only Weinstein: She also excoriated President Donald Trump for his comments about grabbing women, as well as Bill Cosby, former Fox News Channel host Bill O’reilly, the late Roger Ailes and former congressman Anthony Weiner. (She even threw in a mention of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.)

These men “aren’t going to change their world through conversation,” Rosenthal said. “We have to change the world around them.”

On the sidelines of the luncheon for “Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program,” many discussed the sordid saga roiling Hollywood, where a slew of women have come out with allegations of sexual harassment, and worse, on Weinstein’s part.

Actress Olivia Wilde said that, while she felt anger was necessary as an “energizing” factor, people needed to remain optimistic and hopeful, “or else we won’t try to reach out to each other.”

Actress Cynthia Nixon wasn’t sure that Hollywood was experiencing a watershed moment. “You know, the jury is out. It’s hard. In Hollywood, traditionally the women were the showpieces and the men were the power. Still, unless you’re really holding the reins of power, you can fall into a trap where your job is to please.”

But Nixon also said change was afoot. “I do think that generationally, people’s attitudes about what’s OK and what’s not OK are changing,” she said.