SEXISM IN FILMSTeam J: Chen Shuyi (50067466), Cheah Foo Kian (50063575), Nur Shazrina Binte Ali

(50028346), Ho Ser Jia Isaiah (50056758)

Behaviors, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social

roles based on sex

Women are underrepresented

Gender roles often misportrayed

OVERVIEW

EXAMPLE #1: THE PACIFIC RIM

Women largely underrepresented Only 3/56 characters are women Bechdel test: Fail First 20 minutes: no women at all First hour: 1 female character barely speaking

EXAMPLE #2: TRANSFORMERS

Emphasis on sexual aspects of female characters (including sequels)

Women are often portrayed as less than bright sexual figures with little depth and dimension

FILMS THAT CHALLENGE SEXISM

BRIDESMAIDS

All-female lead cast

Female comedians can just have as much impact as male comedians

BRAVE

A Prince Charming is not all you need for a happy ending

Brave is unlike most Disney films, where female leads are often unfulfilled until a romantic love

comes along

GENDER BIASES IN FILMS

GENDER BIASES IN FILMS

WOMEN IN FILMS

protagonists

29% major characters

30% speaking characters

15%

% OF WOMEN PROTAGONISTS

20022011

2013

CINEMETRICS

13% of top 100 films had equal no. of male and female characters

x2 men double the screen time of women overall

Christian Bale: 60 minutesAmy Adams: 46 minutes

WOMEN IN PRODUCTION

Only 6 out of 10 films shortlisted for Best picture this year have women on producing team

Represents 4.4% of the directors of 100 biggest box office films annually between 2002 and 2012

BECHDEL TEST

Assess presence of women in films. Yes/No?

1. At least 2 named females?

2. Females had a conversation?

3. About something other than men?

BECHDEL TEST FOR 2014 FILMS

PASSED (42)

PASS PHASE 1 (20)

PASS PHASE 2

(13)

FAILED (5)

HOLLYWOOD ON SEXISM

Heather Graham “I'm not saying the movie business isn't sexist. It's totally sexist. If you look at all the movies being made these days, 80% of them are about men.”

Kerry Washington“I think it’s relevant. I think gender is relevant. I bring something to the table as a woman; I bring something to the table as a woman of color. So I feel like, if it’s the only thing you focus on, then it’s a danger, and if you never talk about it then it’s a danger.”

HOLLYWOOD ON SEXISM

Eva Mendes“I know how people like to believe that, but it's a very sexist way of thinking. Nobody ever asks that when men work together in an ensemble cast. I've been in the business 10 years and I've never had a negative situation with another actress -- ever.”

Olivia Wilde“It's really hard to get stories made that are about women -- not just women being obsessed with men or supporting men. And it's really hard to get men to be a part of films that are about women in a leading role. I'm really interested in how we can adjust that, considering that it's all just based on demand.

CATE BLANCHETTspeaks out on sexism

during 2014 Oscars

COMMON ARGUMENTS

#1: “IT’S MONEY, NOT SEXISM”

No reasons to change their ways and decisions that work

Filmmakers often try to ensure the best results by attaching known quantities to their biggest projects

#2: LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES

Too few female screenwritersLess chances for them to write complex roles for actresses

Male writers often avoid writing such complex female roles

#3: THE INTEREST

Male audience are more vocalLeads to a perception indicating that movies that attract males sell more

Fact 52% of ticket buyers are female

“Media images tell us who matters in society. If certain groups are routinely omitted in those messages, it suggests that people in that group aren’t important.” - Lauzeen

REFERENCES

• http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexism• http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2009/07/21/indie-movies-can-be-sexist-too/• http://annenberg.usc.edu/News%20and%20Events/News/~/media/PDFs/S

mith_GenderInequality500Films.ashx• http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/?view2=domestic&view=releasedate&p=.h

tm• http://filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/women-underrepresented-in-hollywo

od-not-due-to-sexism.php• http://flavorwire.com/391410/guess-what-hollywoods-bridesmaids-revoluti

on-never-happened

• http://mic.com/articles/83997/cate-blanchett-calls-out-hollywood-s-sexism-in-epic-acceptance-speech

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/25/sexism-in-hollywood-women-problem-inequality_n_4867219.html

• http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-heather-graham-hollywood-sexist-20140424-story.html

• http://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/gender-inequality-in-film/