Latest news

Back Women still represent less than one film director out of four in Europe

The European Audiovisual Observatory publishes new report on female professionals active in the European film industry.
Women still represent less than one film director out of four in Europe

Download “Female professionals in European film production” here

 

Key insights for the period 2016 – 2020:

  • Women represented less than one film director out of four in Europe.
  • The gender gap was less pronounced among producers and screenwriters: women accounted for 33% of producers and 27% of screenwriters active in European feature films.
  • The female presence was lowest among cinematographers (10%) and composers (9%).
  • Women working in film crews in key roles tended to work in teams more often than their male colleagues and they were less likely than men to be the sole professionals working in a given role on a feature film.
  • On average, women working in behind-the-camera roles worked on slightly fewer films than their male counterparts.
  • Between 2016 and 2020 the average share of female directors per film was only 20%, with no significant evolution over the years. This figure was 25% for screenwriters.
  • The share of films by female-majority teams was higher for documentary films than for other film genres, taking into account all professional categories.

This report provides an assessment of the gender imbalance among film professionals within the European film industry. Our analysis includes an overview of the gender of professionals who have worked on at least one European feature films in one of the following key roles:

  • Director
  • Screenwriter
  • Producer
  • Cinematographer
  • Composer
  • Actor in a lead role.

In addition, the report explores the gender composition of professional teams and identifies the share of films led by female-majority teams.

1. Women are significantly underrepresented among film professionals working in key roles behind the camera

Women only represented 23% of all directors of European feature films active between 2016 and 2020. As for professionals working “behind the camera”, the female presence was slightly higher among producers (33%) and screenwriters (27%). In turn, the gender gap was more pronounced among composers and cinematographers, where women respectively accounted for only 9% and 10% of active professionals. The analysis suggests that female presence was more balanced “on screen”, with women accounting for 39% of all actors appearing in a lead role in a feature film.

Share of active female film professionals, by professional category (2016-2020)

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory / LUMIERE

Across all categories except lead roles, the prevalence of female professionals was higher in documentary films than other film genres. For instance, women accounted for 29% of directors of documentaries compared to 19% for live-action fiction films and 16% for animated fiction films.

2. Behind the camera female professionals in key roles tend to work in teams more often than men

Based on the data in our 2016 – 2020 sample, women working in film crews were more likely than men to work in partnership with other colleagues in the same role, a pattern that can be observed across all categories considered. Taking into account feature films written by at least one female screenwriter, 68% were co-written with another professional. This compares with only 57% of films co-written for cinema by at least one male screenwriter. Therefore, female screenwriters were less likely than men to be the sole writer for a film: only 32% of films were written by one female screenwriter compared to 43% films by only one male writer.

Breakdown of European feature films by gender of screenwriter (2016-2020)

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory / LUMIERE

Female professionals in our sample were also proportionally more likely than men to work in gender-mixed teams. When a female screenwriter worked on a film in partnership with other colleagues, it was in the majority of cases in with at least one male colleague, that is within gender-balanced or male-driven teams, as opposed to female-driven teams. This pattern can be observed across all categories, but it is more relevant for screenwriters and producers, who often work in teams, rather than “solitary jobs” such as directors and cinematographers.

On average, women in all groups were slightly less active then their male counterparts. For instance, 89% of female directors only directed one single film, compared for 83% for men.

For these reasons, when considering the female and male proportion among all professionals involved in each film, the average share of women per film was even lower than than the share of active female professionals in each sub-group. For instance, the average share of female directors and screenwriters per film were only 21% and 25% respectively. However, significant differences can be observed across European countries.

In all sub-groups, the average share of female professionals per film is progressing slowly and was overall stable during the time frame considered in this analysis.

Average share of female professionals per film, by professional category (2016-2020)

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory / LUMIERE, Plurimedia

3. Only a minority of feature films were written or produced by female-driven teams

Between 2016 and 2020, only 18% of European feature films were written by a female-driven team (i.e. by a majority of female professionals in the role of screenwriter). Looking at the production department, the share of films produced by female-driven teams was 30%. This figure is much lower for cinematographers (10%) and composers (7%).

Taking into account all professional categories, documentary is the film genre with the highest share share of titles by female-driven teams. In all groups, the share of works by majority-female teams of professionals has not substantially changed over the analysed timeframe.

Share of works by female-driven teams of professionals (2016-2020)

In this context, “female-driven” refers to feature films or audiovisual fiction episodes by a majority (≥ 60%) of female professionals working in each role. Works by female-driven teams can be made either: by one individual female professional; by several female professionals; by teams of professionals of both genders with a female presence of at least 60%.

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory / LUMIERE, Plurimedia

 

Methodological note

The analysis presented in this report draws on data from European Audiovisual Observatory’s LUMIERE database, which collates annual admissions to theatrically released films from a variety of sources, including national film agencies. The study sample comprises European feature films produced between 2016 and 2020 and released in European cinemas during the same period. The dataset only includes films for which if was possible to track at least one commercial screening in one of the European markets covered in the LUMIERE database.

The analysis only includes feature-length films, leaving out compilations of short films and event cinema screenings.

Strasbourg 11 January 2022
  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page
Other News

The European Audiovisual Observatory publishes a new in-depth analysis of algorithms and their regulation through EU law

Algorithmic transparency and accountability of digital services

14 March 2024 Strasbourg

A must-read round-up of the current issues concerning algorithm use in Europe and the legislator's approach to ensuring greater transparency in order to regulate these new AI systems.

Read More

Rules for Observatory calls for tender

7 March 2024 Strasbourg

The European Audiovisual Observatory frequently publishes calls for tenders, enabling any company to become a supplier.

Read More

The European Audiovisual Observatory has just published a new report on writers and directors of European films and TV/SVOD fiction

Theatrical film directors only directed 1.4 films between 2015 and 2022

5 March 2024 Strasbourg

This report provides an analysis of writers and directors of European theatrical films and TV/SVOD fiction produced in Europe between 2015-2022.

Read More

Featured online service

Yearbook online

A unique source of data on:
• television • film • video • on-demand audiovisual services in 42 European countries and Morocco

  • 400 tables featuring more than 25 000 figures
  • 43 country fact sheets
  • The current edition 2023 covers the data range 2018 to 2022

More information and subscriptions available here

FEATURED NEWSLETTER

Monthly Wrap Up

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to get links to our latest film, TV and VOD publications.

You’ll also get advance invitations to our forthcoming events. Rounding off with links to our recent conference presentations. What’s not to like?

To join our mailing list:

 email Alison Hindhaugh

  telephone on + 33 (0) 3 90 21 60 10 (direct)

TRACKING THE REVISED AVMSD TRANSPOSITION

We're tracking the transposition of the Revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive in the EU

Latest update 13/12/2023

 

Promotion of European works

Latest update 3/11/2023

Events and Diary

Visit our Events page for up to date details of Observatory events, plus information on events attended by our talented team.

Click here

Watch Our films

Visit our YouTube channel to watch our latest films and conferences.

Click here

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

         

  Watch our videos