It’s a good year for female characters in indie movies. Out of the top ten highest grossing indie films of 2016 so far, according to Indiewire’s list, the top five feature women as their focus.
Female characters made up 22 percent of protagonists featured in the top 100 domestic grossing films of 2015, according to the study “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World: Portrayals of Female Characters in the Top 100 Films of 2015,” done by Dr. Martha Lauzen of the Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television. This number “represents an increase of 10 percentage points from 2014, which was an exceptionally poor year for women in these roles.”
Hopefully, the 2016 numbers will continue to increase, though it may be the indie world that is leading the way. The top five highest grossing indies all star and follow stories about women. They are:
1. “The Witch”
Distributor: A24
Release Date: February 19
Opening Theater Count: 2,046
Opening Average: $4,301
Current Gross: $25,138,292
2. “Eye in the Sky”
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Release Date: March 11
Opening Theater Count: 5
Opening Average: $22,761
Current Gross: $18,704,595
3. “Hello, My Name is Doris”
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Release Date: March 11
Opening Theater Count: 4
Opening Average: $21,247
Current Gross: $14,443,077
4. “Love & Friendship”
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Release Date: May 13
Opening Theater Count: 4
Opening Average: $33,378
Current Gross: $13,683,377
5. “The Lady in the Van”
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: December 4 (2015 Academy-qualifying run)
Current Gross: $10,021,175
Besides “The Witch,” which centers on a young woman played by 20-year-old newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy, all of the films star women over 40: Helen Mirren (71) in “Eye in the Sky,” Sally Field (69) in “Hello, My Name is Doris,” Kate Beckinsale (43) and Chloe Sevigny (41) in “Love & Friendship,” and Maggie Smith (81) in “The Lady in the Van.”
It should be noted, however, that only one of these projects features a woman in a prominent creative position behind the scenes. Laura Teruso made the short film on which “Hello, My Name is Doris” was based, and co-wrote the feature film’s screenplay. All five of the films are directed by men, and the other four had male writers. While it’s wonderful that women’s stories are making money and becoming popular, it’s not enough. We need more women hired to write, direct, and produce.
