Photo Credit: mediaphotos
On Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 the 97th Academy Awards were watched by over 19 million viewers from around the world, making it the most-watched ceremony since the onset of the COVID pandemic. This year’s award show saw some significant moments in film history. For Women’s History Month, we’ll be examining significant moments at the Academy Awards for women, the role women have historically played in the industry, and where film still needs to go to achieve gender equity.
At this year’s ceremony, there was gender parity in the “Best Picture” category, with five of the ten nominees headlined by women: Anora, Emilia Pérez, I’m Still Here, The Substance, and Wicked. Since the Academy adopted ranked choice voting in 2009 for Best Picture nominations, the playing field has broadened to include everything from indie films to international blockbusters. This year’s “Best Picture” winner was Anora, a film about a sex worker (which has received praise, mixed reactions, and criticism for its portrayal of sex work) was made with just a $6 million budget. Anora’s lead actress Mikey Madison received an Academy Award for her performance, and Zoe Saldaña became the first Dominican American to win an Oscar. The Only Girl in the Orchestra also won “Best Documentary Short” at the Oscars, representing a larger trend of women filmmakers finding more success in the documentary field because of the lower barrier of entry to create these films.
If we look at the greater context of this year’s ceremony, we can see that the Oscars were just a final stage of some promising trends in film. 42% of top 100 highest grossing films in 2024 had female protagonists, which equaled the percentage of films with male protagonists (16% were ensemble casts). All of this is promising, but it does not necessarily mean the film industry’s narrative and structural problems are resolved. Not all representation is good representation, and women are still struggling to make it behind the camera.
In 2024, only 8% of the highest grossing movies employed 10 or more women in key behind-the-scenes roles compared to 70% hiring 10 or more men for those same roles. For women directors alone, they directed just 16% of 2024’s top 250 (domestic) grossing films. Film didn’t used to be this way.
In the silent film era, women were an overwhelming force within the industry. Hollywood: Her Story writers Jill S. Tietjen and Barbara Bridges emphasize that:
Back then they had more opportunities, both behind the camera and on the screen, than they have had at any time since. The highest paid director during the silent film era was a woman. Women screenwriters during that period outnumbered men 10 to one. Talent and brains were what mattered, not gender. (The Helm)
Societal pressure for women to come back to the home post-World War II dramatically impacted women’s presence in the film workforce. We still feel this disparity to this day. For those who don’t work within the film industry, the lack of women’s labor behind the scenes is directly tied to the type of stories we see on screen. One report found the following statistics:
In films with at least one woman director and/or writer, females comprised 81% of protagonists. In films with exclusively male directors and/or writers, females accounted for 33% of protagonists. In films with at least one woman director and/or writer, females comprised 56% of major characters. In films with exclusively male directors and/or writers, females accounted for 35% of major characters. (Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film)
Amongst those protagonists, we have seen a further decline in the already underrepresented populations of women over 40 and women of color.
We also know that the lack of women in front of and behind the camera is not just a matter of not hiring enough of them. It is also a matter of sets and other film environments being outright hostile towards women, often through sexual harassment and misconduct. The #MeToo movement largely gained traction due to the women of Hollywood speaking out about the abuses they’ve faced in the workplace at the hands of figures like Harvey Weinstein. Some important strides were made as a result of this, like the increase of intimacy coordinators on sets, but there is still clear room to improve. Just this past year, the story of Blake Lively and Justin Maldoni showcased that there is still a machine in place that protects reported perpetrators before victims of workplace sexual misconduct.
Women’s representation and safety in film are big problems that will take time to combat. However, we at RALIANCE believe that change is possible and that industries or workplaces who have helped cause harm can also be a part of the solution. Below are some of our recommendations to uplift women storytellers and create more equitable workspaces for them.
Partner with the Hollywood Commission
In 2023, RALIANCE was proud to issue a grant to the Hollywood Commission to continue their work in disrupting the abusive systems and structures within film. Our grant was used to implement and grow Respect On Set™; a multi-pronged strategy to address systemic bias and abuse in all roles in the entertainment industry. We believe in their work, and know they would make excellent partners in addressing how sets big and small can change their workplaces for the better.
Have a RALIANCE Policy Review
At RALIANCE, we are proud to have worked across industries to examine and help amend workplace policies dealing with workplace sexual abuse and misconduct. We would be happy to work with any film business interested in expanding their reporting options as well as offering clear direction for how to process allegations in a trauma-informed way.
Uplift Women-Directed/Led Films
For businesses outside of the industry, this is an opportunity for them to step up. We were proud to partner with LILLY, a film about fair pay activist Lilly Ledbetter. Our decision to uplift this film (directed by Rachel Feldman and starring Patricia Clarkson) was to not only support a woman-led and woman-directed film, but also because its discussion of pay equity and fight against sexual harassment aligns with our values. Businesses might consider uplifting women’s films that align with their company values as well, or even films from women storytellers within their own community. The more support these films get in partnerships, funding, and screenings, the better the landscape will be for future women filmmakers.
Examine Hiring Practices
Women cannot make change for future women in the film industry if they can’t even make it in the room. This may be a no-brainer, but making the effort to hire more women is a huge part of the progress that needs to be made. Conduct an internal review of the gender and race demographics by year and, if there’s a gross disparity, encourage hiring managers to share job postings in a diverse set of job networks. Then consider making a goal to increase the diversity of hires by a certain percentage at the end of the year. Urge hiring managers to not presume the quality of someone’s work based on their identity, and take any complaints of discrimination against these decision-makers seriously.
From the silent film era to this year’s movies, we can see that women’s contributions to film are invaluable. The film industry may not change overnight, but through dedication, commitment, and effort, we can all play a part in showing that women’s stories and women’s labor matters.
RALIANCE is a trusted adviser for organizations committed to building cultures that are safe, equitable, and respectful. RALIANCE offers unparalleled expertise in serving survivors of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse which drives our mission to help organizations across sectors create inclusive environments for all. For more information, please visit www.RALIANCE.org.