During a recent talk at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat and Serbian filmmaker Jelena Maksimović highlighted the pervasive discrimination women face in the film industry, particularly concerning funding. Sadat emphasized that the challenges begin long before films reach festival competitions. “The discrimination did not start at the festival, but it started at the development level,” she stated, addressing the stark lack of female-directed films in competitive line-ups.
The Struggle for Representation
Sadat, a member of the Venice competition jury this year, and Maksimović, whose film “Until the Day Ends” was featured in Venice’s Orizzonti section, participated in a session entitled “The Future of Women’s Cinema.” The event took place at TIFF Lounge in Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, moderated by film scholar Takasaki Ikuko. The discussion explored not just their films but also broader themes of women’s representation in cinema.
Despite the festival’s efforts to spotlight women in film, the reality remains grim. The number of female-directed films in recent competitions continues to be disproportionately low. Maksimović shared her experience in Serbia, where funding for female filmmakers remains limited and often contingent on conformity to prevailing norms.
External Barriers to Funding
Funding hurdles extend beyond personal struggles; external circumstances also play a critical role. Maksimović illustrated this with the example of the Film Center Serbia, which was effectively crippled after government funding was cut following filmmakers’ support of anti-corruption protests. “Even when the film center worked normally we had a difficult time financing our films,” she noted, pointing out the ongoing battle for equal opportunities.
Reflecting on the recent political developments in Serbia, where student activism has reshaped the landscape, Maksimović expressed hope that these changes might lead to a more conducive environment for female directors. “We’re very happy at the moment, but there’s a huge fight in front of us,” she remarked.
The Cultural Barriers in Afghanistan
Sadat described the cultural mafia in Afghanistan that perpetuates male dominance in the industry, making it nearly impossible for women to gain access. “There is this cultural mafia, a bunch of old men, and you as a woman, you never can get in,” Sadat lamented. Her own path involved bypassing local norms to connect with European filmmaking systems.
She poignantly highlighted the systemic issues within international funding mechanisms as well, noting that discrimination persists even within European film grants. “Filmmaking in Afghanistan is a crime… but the discrimination is fundamental, it’s in the system,” she stated.
Questioning Standards and Accountability
The conversation turned to the hypocrisy surrounding standards applied to male and female directors. Sadat pointed out the disparity in scrutiny: “Women directors are not allowed to make bad [films].” This became especially apparent during the Venice Film Festival, where of the 20 films in competition, only one was directed by a woman. Artistic director Alberto Barbera had remarked that the other films “were not good enough,” a judgment Sadat found to be a double standard.
Maksimović called for systemic change, urging that funding and committee structures must be reevaluated. “I know people are trying to change things, but are they really changing? Or are they just putting things into boxes?” she asked. This skepticism reflects a broader concern among female filmmakers regarding tokenism in the industry.
Hope Amidst Challenges
Looking to the future, Sadat acknowledged the urgency of survival in conflict-ridden environments like her home country. “We do not think of the future; we think about the present. Change can start from little things,” she said, illustrating a nuanced understanding of progress as incremental rather than instantaneous. Both directors concluded with a shared recognition that change is necessary, yet it is often slow, requiring persistent effort from the entire community.
