Cannes Reports 26% of Feature Film Submissions Were From Women Directors

By Stewart Clarke

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The organizers of the Cannes Film Festival set out their gender equality credentials, Monday, on the eve of the event getting underway.

Festival artistic director Thierry Fremaux had faced questions earlier in the day about the number of female directors – four – with pictures in competition. He told reporters that under-representation of women is an issue that goes beyond Cannes. Overall, the selection for the 72nd edition of the festival features 15 female filmmakers.

Breaking out stats, the organization said that for the first time it had counted the number of female helmers submitting films for selection. It found that 26% of this year’s 1,845 feature film submissions came from women, rising to 32% in the shorts category. Adding that 44% of the film school projects were from women, Cannes said the numbers “prove that women’s presence is going to be more and more important in the future.”

Having signed the 5050×2020 accord last time out, the festival dished a range of other gender-related information. it including that there was an even male-female split across its selection committee and the main competition, Un Certain Regard, and Camera d’or juries. The shorts jury, however, was three men and one woman.

Looking inwards, the organization said that the 109-strong Paris-based team that coordinates the festival was 61% female. The headcount rockets to 865 on the ground in Cannes, where 48% of the team are women.