Kristen Stewart Expresses Fury Over The Film Industry's Backsliding for Female Professionals
The renowned actress and filmmaker has declared she is “furious” that advancements for women in the film industry have gone backwards after a short-lived surge of improvement post the #MeToo era.
The Twilight star, who helmed the upcoming film The Chronology of Water, delivered an impassioned speech at a female-focused event in Los Angeles organized by the Academy behind the awards.
“The regression from a short period of advancement is alarming by the numbers,” she told the audience. “Such a pitiful number of films from the past year have been directed by female filmmakers.”
A yearly study that tracks the numbers of female filmmakers stated that eleven of the highest-grossing films of last year were helmed by female directors, down from 16 in the year 2020.
‘Male-Dominated Industry Model’
In her address, Stewart said: “In a post-MeToo moment, it seemed possible that narratives made by and for women were at last receiving recognition. That we might be allowed or even encouraged to express ourselves and our shared experiences, all of our experiences without filter.
“But I can now attest to the bare-knuckle brawling that it takes every step when the material is too grim, too controversial, when the frankness with which it presents insights about situations routinely experienced by women, frequently provokes disgust and rejection.”
She continued: “We can talk about wage gaps and menstrual product taxes and quantify the imbalance in many measurable forms. But the act of muting voices, it’s like we’re not allowed to feel rage. But I can eat this podium with a utensil and sharp tool. I’m furious.”
The guests hearing Stewart’s speech featured several prominent actresses.
Stewart received several rounds of applause during the duration of her seven-minute speech.
“I am thankful to you,” she stated. “I am not grateful a male-centric industry framework that pretends to want to associate with us while siphoning our resources and belittling our true perspectives. Let’s try and not be tokenised. It’s time to create our own value.”
New films from several female directors are in the running for the forthcoming Oscars race, but the top directing award is anticipated again to be male in majority.
