The 2018 Cannes Film Festival is almost here. Beginning tomorrow, May 8, the renowned fest will screen films from veteran directors and newcomers alike. And, as per usual, the number of female filmmakers at Cannes is well below parity. Women and Hollywood has laid out what you you need to know about women at Cannes 2018 in our annual infographic.
Women directors account for 14 percent of the Main Competition, comparable to last year’s 16 percent. None of the Official Lineup’s special screenings or events are from female filmmakers. Un Certain Regard is 44 percent women-helmed, an impressive increase from 2017’s 28 percent. The Directors’ Fortnight features are 25 percent women-directed, a 10 percent drop from last year. Critics’ Week’s feature competition, meanwhile, rose from 42 percent in 2017 to 57 percent this year. Yet Cannes Classics — a film series celebrating groundbreaking cinema and filmmakers — is just 18 percent women-helmed.
In other words, Cannes’ 2018 edition feels very much one step forward, two steps back.
Check out Women and Hollywood’s Cannes infographic below — and feel free to share. If you are attending the fest, please remember to support female filmmakers and see as many women-helmed projects as you can. Cannes runs May 8-19.
