Guest Post by Holly Levow

Several years ago, I was on set of my first female-driven film as executive producer and witnessed a sense of camaraderie, respect, and gratification from having so many women participating in the filmmaking process. There were many discussions about why this gender parity among both the cast and crew doesn’t happen often enough.

An industry misconception quickly became clear: few believe that you can make a film that’s both socially responsible and fiscally profitable. All too often, female-led projects are associated with a specific type of style or narrative: There are the indies, “chick-flicks,” and then — when we’re lucky — an occasional Hollywood blockbuster. But this doesn’t need to be the case — nor should it be.

This is why we formed our mission-driven production company, Equitas Entertainment Partners. Throughout the lifecycle of our projects, we strive for equality in pay, promote female leadership, and create opportunities for underrepresented populations both in front of and behind the camera. We invest in projects that we believe in, rather than try to fit any mythical “women-led mold.” That’s exactly what we did on our latest film, “Imprisoned.”

“Imprisoned” tells the story of Dylan Burke (Juan Pablo Raba), who attempts to move on from his former life as a criminal with his true love, Maria (Juana Acosta). He soon realizes that his past will continue to haunt him when he learns the new local prison warden, Daniel Calvin (Laurence Fishburne), has not forgiven him for an old crime.

On the surface, “Imprisoned” doesn’t look like the type of film built on female leadership and gender wage parity. But this is exactly our point: gender equality can and should be a focus of all productions — even those without a female-driven storyline.

In order to achieve our goal of gender parity, equal pay needed to be a priority for the investors, which set the tone for the entire production. We had two choices: either lower the male lead’s salary, or increase the female lead’s salary. We decided on the latter. When we responded to Juana Acosta’s quote and offered a higher salary to match her male counterpart, we were met with skepticism from her management team; they assumed we were blowing smoke. This only fueled our fire.

Our priority for equal pay was an open topic on set. I had many discussions with crew members about our experience and I believe the transparency, along with the desire to create an equitable workspace, helped create an atmosphere of mutual respect and appreciation. When individuals feel appreciated and respected, they work harder and it shows in the end result of the film.

Gender wage parity, as well as female leadership, should be an industry norm — not an exception. Behind the camera, we sought out women to head at least seven of our production departments and staff many more. In post-production, we also sought out a female editor and a female music supervisor to add their invaluable perspectives, insight, and experience. 

The crucial element in reaching gender parity is having buy-in from the top down and more female production heads across the board. We need investors to look beyond antiquated financial models and understand that the social return of gender wage parity is just as important — if not more so — than the financial one. We must continue to prove that wage parity, female leadership, and mindful production decision-making will create a return on investment in both the traditional and social realms.

“Imprisoned” was one of the last film projects shot in Puerto Rico before Hurricane Maria and is partnered with mental health non-profit Peace Love and Teatro Correccional, a Puerto Rican acting group comprised of currently and formerly incarcerated men and women. You can find “Imprisoned” in theaters now throughout Puerto Rico and at New York City’s AMC Empire. It will open at LA’s Laemmle Music Hall and Pacific Theatres Lakewood Center on September 20. More screening information is available here.

Holly Levow currently spends her time between three social impact arms: Equitas Entertainment Partners; Foundation, a retail boutique that gives back 100 percent of proceeds to non-profit organizations each quarter; and angel investing in efforts that support underrepresented or marginalized individuals with an emphasis on women. The golden thread with all of her endeavors is that they represent a desire to swiftly (and radically) change some of the most influential industries by making them more equitable, inclusive, and representative of society.