International Women’s Day is the day we celebrate all those who identify as women – women of all forms, shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Today is a global celebration of their social, economic, cultural, and political achievements, and an opportunity to push for gender equality.
As a Black, mixed-raced woman who is currently studying video design and production at George Brown College, today has me reflecting on my own experience.
On my first day of online class, I was so excited to meet all the people in my program and forge new connections and friendships. But sadly, there were only six out of thirty students in my program section who were women.
Admittedly, I wasn’t shocked at the ratio of women to men in my classes. The film industry is extremely male-dominated, especially for the roles of directors or cinematographers. Females are more likely to be supporting roles on set.
According to Forbes, of the top 100 films released in 2021, female directors made up only 12 per cent of directors. This really upsets me, because the lack of female representation in such a booming industry in the 21st century clearly shows that we still have so much more work to do towards equality.
In my first semester, I wanted to prove myself, show that I had good ideas, and be taken seriously. I was very nervous starting out since this world was all very new to me, but I pitched my ideas to my class for a short film project with confidence.
My fellow classmates ended up voting for my suggestion as one of the six to be produced. I got to write and direct my own short film with my group. This was a major accomplishment for me in my first semester. I felt like I had proved both to myself and to my classmates that I was going to leave my mark here, and not hide in the shadows. Since then, I have made amazing connections and have had opportunities to work with very talented classmates.
What’s more, out of the six pitches chosen, three were female-directed and written, which was amazing to see. I look forward to the rest of my studies and what’s to come. I want to graduate having learned as much as I could and go out into the film world, continuing to prove myself every day.
I think that people like me can slowly but surely begin to change the industry. It all starts with acknowledging that we as women are allowed to speak up in class, share our talents and ideas, and make our mark.
