| Why are there so few female movie directors?

Why are there so few female movie directors?

dominique asked:

I’ve wondered this, in this day and age, why female directors are so grossly outnumbered - in all countries. For instance, there are only two women directors in this year’s Cannes Film Festival (for films in competition). There are plenty of female producers, writers, and some of the best film editors have been women. Why is it so hard for women to break into directing?
I actually am familiar with the industry, and I did go to film school and I work in tv, so I am well aware that there are many female producers, studio heads, writers and editors. There are also plenty of female directors in tv & documentary. Just wanted to get some opinions on why there are relatively few women that direct narrative feature length films in this day and age - why aren’t more Deepa Mehta’s, Lina Wertmuller’s (1st woman to be nominated for Best Direction Oscar) or even Kathryn Bigelow’s emerging?
Pharmacy tech
Just wondering

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Comments

4 Responses to “Why are there so few female movie directors?”

  1. coolio russian on April 9th, 2009 12:06 am

    cause not many women can direct a really good action and comedy film. no offense in advance. but its the truth.

  2. magicspice4u on April 9th, 2009 11:00 am

    Women are outnumbered in all fields of work why only directing. The main reason I feel there are few women directors is because in general a woman is a multitasking humanbeing, she has to be. It very few woman who can have a fixed mind on one particular subject or thing. Most women have to do many things at one time. Have you seen a man watch a match with the remote in his hand, how he concentrates, and on the other hand have you noticed a woman watching a movie or serial, she will talk inbetween, cook, clean, iron, knit, cut vegetables.. It quite rare she would be sitting idle, just doing one thing at one time.

  3. Beejee on April 11th, 2009 3:46 am

    Please, Dominique, tell me you wouldn’t propose or support a ‘quota’ system for directors, to the diminishing of the importance of talent and competance.

  4. contrafilms on April 11th, 2009 7:14 pm

    This is going to sound bad, but its true (I work in the film industry). Most women outside the film industry believe that it is a boys club, dominated by men and ran by men. This is not true. Most executives at studios are female and at one point 4 of the top studios in the country were RAN by women. As a result of the misinformation, a lot of women believe it would be “too hard” to make it as a director in this industry…so they never even try.

    An old girlfriend of mine was shocked to learn that there are no less than three female writers on “The Shield”, probably the most testosterone driven show on television. She thought women couldn’t do that. Times have changed ladies. Go to film school and show us what you can do!

    And to the guy who says women can’t direct action films? I tell him to go watch a few Kathryn Bigelowe films (Near Dar, Blue Steel, Point Break, Strange Days). Women can do ANYTHING men can do.