In the 1930s, American cinema focused on the image of the young, self-assertive (expressing her own points of view) and sexy woman helping to keep the cult of New Womanhood that emerged in the early years of the century. But, since then, it is taking a very long time for women to reach the same position as men in American films.
Fortunately, now women are finally moving to the centre of the frame, actresses are driving the action in more Hollywood films than before. The change is coming, and it´s coming quickly.
This bellows to the large debate about gender equity that has flown over the media business in recent years. Recently, some new actresses like Jessica Chastain have spoken about the pay discrepancy between women and men in Hollywood films.
Studios have also found that female-driven projects are connecting with the audience: recent commercial successes as “Moana,” “Hidden Figures,” “Bad Moms,” and “The Girl on the Train” have featured strong roles for women.
But also in the last decades, films as “Star Wars” or “Alien” have benefitted from female protagonists. In “Alien”, it is impossible to forget the marvellous Sigourney Weaver, one of my favourite actresses, not only elegant but also a though woman.
She reminds me of Katherine Hepburn, known for her independence and energetic personality, representing the figure of the emancipated woman during decades. She was a leading lady in Hollywood for more than 60 years and received four Academy Awards for Best Actress (still a record today). More than this, in 1999, she was named by the American Film Institute as the greatest female star of Classic Hollywood Cinema. I love her too.
On the other hand, introducing female protagonists is somehow easier than employing women directors. Behind the camera, things are getting worse.
In 2016, the number of female directors represented just 7% of all directors, two percentage points less than in 2015, according to a study by The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. This Center´s studies provide our society a realistic discussion of women’s on-screen representation and film director employment. However, in the independent sphere, women represented almost half of the directors at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
In general, now we find ourselves better represented in Hollywood films. Gone are the days when women were only featured weak and dependent on men roles in American films. The actresses are not being relegated to a single genre like romantic comedies.
But although the movie business may be providing now more opportunities for actresses, there is one aspect where we still find a gender stereotype: female characters tend to be younger than the men they share the screen with. Not only in films but also in real life, men are supposed to be attractive even when they get older. Unfortunately, it is not the same for women. But this reflexion belongs to another larger debate.
Maribel Navarro
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women's_cinema
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/arrival-rogue-one-female-film-protagnoists-1201992678/
https://triangulomag.com/2014/10/22/el-papel-de-la-mujer-en-los-estados-unidos-durante-los-anos-50/
https://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/gender-inequality-in-film/
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