Members of the French film industry are gearing up their fight for gender equality just in time for Friday’s César Awards. Per Deadline, 300 artists and execs are lending their support to 5050 Pour 2020 (50/50 by 2020), an initiative aiming to achieve gender parity and better diversity in film in the next two years. “Girlhood” writer-director Céline Sciamma and actresses Léa Seydoux and Lily Rose Depp are among 5050 Pour 2020’s founders.
“For some months we’ve been asking ourselves … how to transform a moment into a movement,” the members wrote on 5050 Pour 2020’s website. “We must take this opportunity to work on equality and diversity because we are certain that opening the playing field will profoundly promote renewed creativity.”
As part of the initiative, 5050 Pour 2020 is launching an Equality Observatory, which will publish research related to inclusivity in film. The group has already released its findings on gender representation in off-screen film roles and at the César Awards. The research found that women represent only 23 percent of film directors since 2006 and that female directors’ budgets are 36 percent lower than males’. Tonie Marshall is the only woman to win the César for Best Director. Overall, women only account for 19 percent of non-gender-specific nominations in the Césars’ 42-year history.
5050 Pour 2020 is also pressing public and private institutions, including unions, festivals, juries, and film schools, to showcase “parity, youth, and diversity” in film.
The initiative is reminiscent of some of Hollywood’s recent gender equality efforts. Late last year talent agencies ICM Partners and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) vowed to reach full 50–50 gender parity in their employment by 2020. And, of course, Time’s Up and the new UK Justice and Equality Fund are fighting sexual harassment in and out of the film industry.
The 2018 César Awards will be held March 2. Attendees are expected to wear white ribbons in support #MaintenantOnAgit (Now We Act), a recently launched movement seeking justice for female victims of violence.
5050 Pour 2020’s research is available in French on the org’s website.
