The Beginning
Judith Beheading Holofernes
by Artemisia Gentileschi
The Uffizi Gallery Florence
The numbers are not much better on the Streaming platforms.
why?
While 2020 saw an improvement in female representation in the film industry - and only the second woman (& the first one of colour) in the Academy's history to win an Oscar for directing - we still don't see equal numbers in crew members across all departments
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80% of top/high level films do not have a woman at the helm
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25% of recent UK cinema releases have been by women, a number boosted by many blockbuster’s releases being postponed due to the pandemic (Birds Eye View)
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In the USA women made up only 16% of the 100 highest grossing films of 2020
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Of those 100 films women accounted for only 28% of the producers, 21% of the executive producers, 18% of editors, 12% of screenwriters and 3% of cinematographers
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67% of major films employed between zero and four women as heads of department (HODs), compared to 70% of top films which had 10 or more men employed as directors, writers and other jobs
The numbers are not much better on the Streaming platforms.
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Women accounted for only 31% of key crew positions
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63% of shows employed 5 or fewer female crew; 16% of programs employed 5 or fewer men
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94% of the shows had no female directors of photography, 81% had no women editors, 76% had no women directors, 73% had no women creators and/or showrunners
Centre for the Study of Women in Film and Television, San Diego State University
Artemisia's Daughters was founded by Alexandra Boyd & Carla Orrú in 2020.
They met ten years before singing in a choir together. Many tunes and laughs were shared and a friendship grew that also saw Carla become an investor in Alexandra's debut feature film WIDOW'S WALK.
Over a very long lunch at BAFTA in Piccadilly one day, they realised they had the combined talents to create a place where all women, of all ages and all backgrounds, could see themselves working in the film industry in roles that traditionally and for the longest time have been done by men.
The women
Vision
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Artemisia's Daughters is a platform where all women are encouraged, educated and employed for equal pay in the film & television industries regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, lifestyle, age, educational background, financial status, national origin, religion or physical ability
Mission
Values
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Artemisia's Daughters wants to empower, support and mentor the next generation of women filmmakers
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Artemisia's Daughters believes that everyone deserves an opportunity to become involved in the film industry no matter what their gender, race, social background or individual circumstances
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We value women's stories and the stories told by women and their contributions to cinema & television
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We value and support the presence of more women in crew and creative positions on the film industry
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Artemisia's Daughters values the experience of the women working in the industry and the high quality of experience and wisdom they share with the generations of female filmmakers to come
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Artemisia's Daughters values diversity, inclusion and a collaborative way of working with people of all social backgrounds, ages, genders, race and sexual orientation to ensure that all voices and everyone's contributions are heard