The Seven Percent Problem

I've been collecting quotes and articles about the dearth of female directors in America and Britain for almost a year now. These pieces say what needs to be said, so I'll just add one thing: If this is something that concerns you, support these filmmakers whenever you can.

This has nothing to do with pity. If you don't like a woman's work, there's no reason to feel obligated, but if you enjoy their efforts, don't wait until her film appears on DVD. See it in the theater—on opening weekend. Barring that, don't rent the film—buy it.

These may seem like small gestures, but they do make a difference. Me and you and everyone we know can help these women to make a living at their craft. Simply slide a few dollars their way from time to time. If you're broke, write something for your blog, write an article, write a fan letter. There are any number of things you can do—do them.

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[Click author names to read full articles.]

Only seven percent of British filmmakers are women and only
12 percent of screenwriters. The figures are similar in America, and only three female directors—Sofia Coppola, Jane Campion
and Lina Wertmuller—have been nominated for Oscars.
-- Kate Kellaway, The Observer

Seven percent of the world's directors are women and this event (Créteil
Films de Femmes, International
Women's Film Festival) presents a panorama of shorts, documentaries
and feature films dedicated exclusively to this marginalization.
-- Moira Sullivan, GreenCine Daily

Of the 8,500 directors represented in
the Directors Guild of America, about 13
percent are women. That figure includes women
who work in television, which has long been
considered a more welcoming environment.
-- Mary F. Pols, The Contra Costa Times

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Endnote: Talk to Me opens today in Seattle at the Meridian. Click here to read A. O. Scott's review, and here for my interview with local filmmaker Lynn Shelton. Kasi Lemmons image from MIT News Office, Talk to Me poster image from IONCINEMA.