According to a report by the Center for Women in Television and Film at San Diego University, there are two male film critics for every one female critic, which has a direct impact on how women-led projects are reviewed by the media.
When reviewing films directed by women, the “Thumbs Down” study found that male writers were less likely than women to mention the name of the director in their reviews and to speak about the director in exclusively positive ways. Only 38 percent of reviews written by men consisted of positive comments about female directors, which is a stark contrast compared to 52 percent positive commentary from female critics.
“These gender imbalances matter because they impact the visibility of films with female protagonists and/or women directors, as well as the nature of reviews,” said Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in TV and Film, according to The Wrap.
She added, “Something as simple as the mention of a director’s name in a review, and labeling that individual as a ‘master’ of the filmmaking craft, can help shape the narrative surrounding that director.”
Disproportionate figures were even seen in the amount of reviews that were being written as well. According to the study, 71 percent of all reviews were written by men in comparison to 29 percent written by women.
The study was conducted during the spring of 2018 and included 4,111 reviews written by 341 critics who worked in print, broadcast and online outlets.
Race figures had equally jarring numbers for both genders. Minorities made up only 14 percent of female critics with 3 percent identifying as having an unknown racial or ethnic identify. The differentiation was even greater with men. The report noted that 82 percent of male critics were all white, and only percent 9 percent were minorities with another 9 percent having an unknown ethnic identity.
Although female director and producer Kathryn Bigelow has won praise and made history by being awarded the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director — twice — Lauzen says she is an exception to the unwritten rule.
“For decades, many male directors have benefited from reviews in which they have been described in larger-than-life, almost mythic ways,” Lauzen told the New York Times. “Few women, with the possible exception of Kathryn Bigelow, have enjoyed this same kind of critical treatment.”
