Showbiz sexism has ring of truth say Baf ta stars
‘It’s about time all this came out’
IT was a night for Scotland to celebrate its film and television industry.
But the stars on the red carpet at Bafta Scotland used the event to speak out about abuse in the industry.
In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein allegations, many of the celebrities at the ceremony held at Glasgow’s radisson Blu hotel sported 50:50 rings or badges given to them by Irish actress Deirdre Mullins.
These were created for the equal representation for actresses (era) organisation, which raises awareness about the lack of roles for women on screen
Miss Mullins won the Best actress award for Scots film The Dark Mile, in which two women on a boat trip in the Highlands have a dramatic run-in with the locals. She used her win to call for more roles for women in television.
Miss Mullins said: ‘In the UK, in film and TV, there are two male characters for every female character and on children’s television there are three male characters for every female character so our sons and daughters are seeing a narrative that men are more interesting and active and women are the prize at the end. This is detrimental to society and we need to do something about it. It is an easy thing to fix.’
Host edith Bowman said: ‘With Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey in the news, everyone has an opinion. I think it is horrendous.
‘I don’t have a personal experience of it so it is hard for me to judge, but I am wearing this ring to support equal opportunities, which is something worth talking about.
‘Tonight is not about dredging up terrible and horrendous accusations of people. It is about people trying to recognise that and deal with it and find a way forward so that it doesn’t continue to happen. Deirdre groovily got this campaign together. I completely support her cause and what she is trying to do.
‘Hopefully it can be a way of looking forward and thinking about how we deal with something we are finding out is as widespread as it has been.’
Scottish satirist and writer armando Iannucci, creator of The Thick of It, collected the outstanding Contribution to Film and Television award. referring to the current scandals, he said it was ‘about time that this all came out’. He added: ‘as you go through your work you hear all sorts of vague stories. Part of me thinks if everyone is talking about it, why isn’t something happening?
‘I hope it not only encourages women to speak up, but men as well – especially if they have been told something by an actress or a female friend. It is not something you keep secret and hopefully people will not feel they are on their own.’
laura Fraser, who won the Best actress in Television award for The Missing, said: ‘I really hope it encourages more and more men to speak out. I am so happy to see there is a movement away from victim naming and victim shaming. I think it’s a really good move away from the dark ages we have been in.’
The biggest winner of the night was T2, the follow-up to Trainspotting, which picked up three awards: ewen Bremner for Film actor; Danny Boyle for Best Director and the movie itself for Feature Film, although none of the T2 winners turned up at the ceremony.
David attenborough paid tribute by video link to Scots wildlife cameraman Doug allen, who was honoured for his work on such ground-breaking programmes as the BBC’s Planet earth, life, Human Planet, Frozen Planet and Blue Planet.
allen, 65, from Dunfermline, Fife, collected the special outstanding Contribution to Craft award.