ReFrame, IMDBPro Announce 22 Newly Certified Gender-Balanced Films

By Ricardo Lopez

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – ReFrame — a coalition of industry leaders founded by Women in Film and the Sundance Institute — and IMDBPro announced on Tuesday nearly two dozen films to be certified for their gender-balanced productions.

launched the data initiative in an effort to recognize and promote gender-balanced films and television shows. The collaboration relies on data from IMDBPro to analyze films and television series to see how many women were involved in the production, and how much screen time female characters had. To earn the ReFrame Stamp, a film or TV show must meet a handful of requirements that call for women in key roles like starring, directing, producing, and writing. Additional points are awarded for having racial diversity. (The full criteria can be found here .)

The ReFrame Stamp program launched on June 8 with the announcement of 12 films that earned the stamp out of 100 films surveyed. The group then expanded the program by inviting studio and independent films that have secured U.S. domestic theatrical or streaming distribution to submit their films for stamp consideration.

“I’m extremely proud to be part of a film with so many talented and determined women involved in its creation,” said Glenn Close, star of “The Wife,” which was among the films certified by ReFrame. “The producers and screenwriter, all women, never gave up on getting it made, even though it took 14 years. The sensitive and powerful film editing, costume design, haunting score, all by women, come together to create a moving and cohesive work of cinema. I hope that its success, and this recognition by ReFrame, will encourage more hiring of women and more women to follow their passion to make films.”

Paul Feig, director of stamp recipient “A Simple Favor,” said: “As a supporter and member of the ReFrame team, as well as a filmmaker working toward the goal of inclusivity and parity in front of and behind the camera, having the ReFrame stamp on my latest film is as important to me as making sure I have film in the camera. The ReFrame seal of approval is something all studios, producers and directors should strive for. It’s not that hard to do.”

So far, the group has certified 34 films, including the 22 films announced Tuesday. They were:

“A Simple Favor”
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
“Capernaum”
“Crazy Rich Asians”
“Destroyer”
“The Favourite”
“Freelancers Anonymous”
“Gemini”
“IRL”
“Jane and Emma”
“The Long Dumb Road”
“Mary Shelley”
“Miss Arizona”
“The Polka King”
“The Wife”

2019 releases:
“Booksmart”
“Five Feet Apart”
“Juanita”
“Late Night”
“The Lie”
“Otherhood”
“Untitled Pippa Bianco Project”