More than 80 women gathered at the Cannes Film Festival Saturday to speak out against a gender pay gap and support female empowerment in the entertainment industry, Variety reports.
Why it matters, per Variety: "Cannes has come under fire for not acknowledging the #MeToo and Time’s Up initiatives, like other film festivals. Organizers have also been criticized for not promoting female filmmakers more aggressively. Only three of the 18 films in competition this year are from female filmmakers — Cannes’ best showing since 2011."
By the numbers, highlighted by jury President Cate Blanchett: "On these steps today stand 82 women representing the number of female directors who have climbed these stairs since the first edition of the Cannes Film Festival in 1946."
- "In the same period 1,688 male directors have climbed these very same stairs."
- "In the 71 years of this world-renowned festival, there have been 12 female heads of its juries."
- "The prestigious Palme d’Or has been bestowed on 71 male directors — too numerous to mention by name — but only two female directors: Jane Campion, who is with us in spirit, and the wonderful Agnès Varda, who stands with us today. These facts are stark and undeniable"