France is launching a state funding bonus for productions in which the director and key crew members are women, ScreenDaily reports. Earlier this year the country’s — and arguably world’s — most prestigious film festival, Cannes, signed a gender parity pledge, and it looks like the whole industry should be shaping up for major changes. “French Minister of Culture Françoise Nyssen announced the new measure during a three-day conference devoted to gender parity, Les Assises sur la parité, taking place in Paris this week,” according to the source.
“I believe in financial incentives. When things do not change on their own, or too slowly, it’s up to us to change them,” Nyssen explained. The new measure is slated to be introduced in 2019 and will involve an eight-point system. Points will be award on the basis of directors and other key crew members — such as the cinematographer — being female.
If a production achieves at least four points, it will be eligible for a bonus of up 15 percent of its expected state funding allocation.
“The scheme will be managed by France’s National Cinema Centre (CNC) as part of the country’s automatic and selective film production funding schemes,” according to the source. Nyssen has specified that the point system will be in effect until parity has been reached.
CNC president Frédérique Bredin commented, “Parity is important for me. I am thinking about it all the time, above all when it comes to the commissions and juries, but also with regards to film crews. We must break the glass ceiling and give young people more examples of female achievement.”
According to research from the 5050×2020 collective — which spearheaded efforts for Cannes to sign the gender parity pledge — under 25 percent of French features released between 2006 and 2016 were directed by women, and, as is the case in Hollywood, female filmmakers have difficulty accessing big budgets.
Britain, Australia, and Canada are among the countries with policies in place to improve the number of women working behind the scenes.
