Update: Cannes announced additional titles April 21. Revised stats can be found below our original post.
It’s been nearly four years since Cannes Film Festival head Thierry Frémaux signed the Gender Parity Pledge, nearly four years since he and his colleagues committed to making the fest a more inclusive place and working toward gender equity among its film selections and leadership. But, judging from the newly unveiled main film slate for Cannes 2022, it seems that the festival has forgotten about the promise it made in 2018. Not only is the lineup far from gender parity, it hasn’t made any progress since last year.
Only three of Cannes 2022’s 18 Competition selections are directed by women, amounting to about 17 percent, the exact same ratio as 2021. Since 2005, Cannes has never included more than four features from women filmmakers in its most prestigious program.
The three 2022 Competition films directed by women are Valeria Bruni Tedeschi’s “Les Amandiers” and the latest pics from Claire Denis and Kelly Reichardt. The former follows four young actors training at the Théâtre des Amandiers. Denis’ “The Stars at Noon” sees an English businessman and American journalist falling in love against the backdrop of Nicaragua’s Sandinista Revolution. Reichardt’s “Showing Up” marks her fourth collaboration with Michelle Williams, and centers on an exuberant artist about to open a landmark exhibition.
Women filmmakers are much better represented in the Un Certain Regard section: they helmed six of the 15 selections, or 40 percent. Among them are Hayakawa Chie’s dystopian drama “Plan 75” and Riley Keough and Gina Gammell’s “Beast,” which tells the stories of three Lakota men living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Women directed exactly zero titles in the Cannes Premieres, Out of Competition, Midnight Screenings, and Special Screenings categories. So, as of April 14, 2022, the nine women-directed films chosen for Competition and Un Certain Regard are the only women-directed pics across Cannes’ 49-title main slate. That’s a ratio of 18 percent. Obviously gender equity is still not a priority for the film festival.
Cannes 2022 will take place May 17-28. Last year Julia Ducournau’s “Titane” won the fest’s top prize, the Palme d’Or. It marked the second time a woman director received the award; Jane Campion became the first in 1993 for “The Piano.”
Check out the women-directed films Cannes has announced so far below. List adapted from Deadline.
COMPETITION
“Les Amandiers,” dir: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
“Stars At Noon,” dir: Claire Denis
“Showing Up,” dir: Kelly Reichardt
UN CERTAIN REGARD
*”Les Pires,” dirs: Lisa Akoka, Romane Gueret
*”Plan 75,” dir: Hayakawa Chie
*”Beast,” dirs: Riley Keough, Gina Gammell
“Corsage,” dir: Marie Kreutzer
“The Silent Twins,” dir: Agnieszka Smocynska
*”Rodeo,” dir: Lola Quivoron
*Denotes first film, eligible for the Camera d’Or
UPDATE:
Competition
Was: 3/18,17 percent women-directed or co-directed
Is Now: 5/21, 24 percent women-directed or co-directed
Un Certain Regard
Was: 6/15, 40 percent women-directed or co-directed
Is Now: 9/19, 47 percent women-directed or co-directed
Cannes Premieres
Was: 0/4
Is Now: 0/7
Out of Competition
Was: 0/6
Is Now: 0/7
Midnight Screenings
Was: 0/3
Is Now: 0/4
Special Screenings
Was: 0/3
Is Now: 3/8, 38 percent women-directed or co-directed
