You can call it woke, a utopia, or a gimmick; still, the fact can’t be neglected that the inclusion of people and sexes from various backgrounds is a necessary aspect of any art. Cinema doesn’t make an exception either.
Throughout the years, the cinema industry has been male-dominated, as women had to sacrifice a lot to climb the ladder of success. Even in 2024, the situation isn’t the most favorable for women, as most studios aren’t ready to bet on female directors.
The USC report reveals that among the 100 highest-grossing US films in 2023, only 12.1% of directors were women—a slight increase from 2022’s 9%. However, this marks little progress since 2018 when just 4.5% of top movies had female directors.
In terms of numbers, among the 100 highest-grossing US films, there were 116 directors associated with the projects, and among them, only 14 are women.
For women of color, the situation is even worse. Out of the 100 highest-grossing films in 2023, only 3.4% were directed by them. Adele Lim, Celine Song, Fawn Veerasunthorn, and Nia DaCosta were the four women, with no significant change from 2022.
Universal emerged as the most inclusive studio, but with just four female directors. Lionsgate and Disney followed with three and two, respectively. Over the last 17 years, Universal Pictures hired 9.2% of women directors, followed by Warner Bros. (6.6%), Sony Pictures (6.3%), and Walt Disney Studios (6.1%). Paramount Pictures had the lowest rate at 1.6%.
Despite the stats, Greta Gerwig came out as the most successful director of the year, irrespective of gender. Barbie and Greta will undoubtedly change the mindset of the industry, as more studios begin to bet their money on female directors this year. However, it’s nowhere near the ideal condition, as studios need to actively work on their endeavors in hiring.