In Hollywood, there is one dominant voice. It is a white, male, straight gaze. When I talk about positive portrayals of black people and women, I’m saying complexity. I’m not saying goody-two-shoes, everything’s okay. No. The positive view of me is to see me as I am: The “good,” the “bad,” the gray. That is a positive portrayal.
Ava DuVernay
2017’s Me-Too and Time’s Up movements spurred men and women around the world to reevaluate both the toxicity and patriarchy pervasive in most industries. The suppression of women, however, begets filmmaking, storytelling, and any prototype of history itself. Over a century into the former endeavor, the need for women’s involvement, and just as importantly the opening of channels to allow for their involvement, is paramount.
When women have been grossly unconsidered in film production, it’s no surprise their characters suffer. It is striking that throughout the life of cinema, characters have emerged to shatter the under-representation of women.
This month, we celebrate the characters and filmmakers responsible for the continued prevalence of women in film. Some are mothers, others super-heroines and many warriors, but above all, they are undeniable.
Related Films
TIFF Panel Illuminating the Triumphs of Black Women in front of and behind the Camera:
A Visual Essay from Glamour Detailing the Shortage of Women Filmmakers:
