[Global Times Special Correspondent Luc] In recent years, the proportion and weight of female filmmakers in Hollywood have become higher and higher, which has become an encouraging phenomenon and trend, especially last year, which was directed by a female director, starring an ac

[Global Times Special Correspondent Luc] In recent years, the proportion and weight of female filmmakers in Hollywood have become higher and higher, which has become an encouraging phenomenon and trend, especially last year, which was directed by a female director and starred by an actress. The theme is also the awakening of female consciousness " Barbie " (pictured) is very popular. It not only broke various records for women's films, but also became the box office champion in 2023 with global revenue of over 1.4 billion US dollars. It seems to mark the "women's film" The arrival of the first year.

Driven by the success of the above-mentioned films, especially "Barbie", this year there will also be "Moon Rebels 2: Branded" (starring Sofia Boutola) and "Mad Max: Goddess of Fury" (starring Anya Taylor-Joy) and "A Quiet Place: Invasion Day" (starring Lupita Nyong'o) and other blockbuster films starring women have met with audiences, and their box office prospects are promising.

However, in the eyes of some American media and researchers, the phenomenon brought about by "Barbie" is surprising, but it is still too early to conclude that female filmmakers "hold half of the sky" in Hollywood. According to "Variety" citing a report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, up to 80% of Hollywood movies have more male characters than female characters, and the proportion of female characters with speaking lines (37%) is also much lower than that of male characters (63% ). But at the same time, Hollywood is even more obsessed with young women. Female characters are generally younger than men: 36% of female characters are around 30 years old, only 14% of women are 40 years old, and only 7% of women are over 60 years old.

Another study from the University of Southern California shows that only 30% of the top-grossing films in North America in 2023 will be starring or co-starring women. This proportion has reached a 10-year low and is far lower than the 44% of the previous year. % of women. The number of "movies starring women of color" has dropped to 14, and last year there were only three films starring women over 45, compared with 32 films starring men of the same age group.

In addition, the proportion of works directed by women in Hollywood has also decreased, from 18% the year before last to 16%. The success of "Barbie" is inseparable from the female director Greta Gerwig, but she was not nominated for the Oscar. In the Best Director Award, actress Margot Robbie also missed out on the Best Actress nomination, which caused quite a bit of controversy inside and outside the industry.

Therefore, in the view of American researchers on women's issues, the popularity of "Barbie" is more like an individual case. The overall situation of women in Hollywood is suffering a "catastrophic regression." The statistical results are consistent with the so-called "2023 is the first year of women's films." The impression is also very different. It neither reflects the progress of the industry nor can it shoulder the important task of improving the status of women. It is a complete "industry collapse and failure."

It can be seen from this that if Hollywood wants to truly realize the rise of women, it will not only require stars in front of the audience, but also behind-the-scenes directors with the right to speak like Gerwig and Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), and even film companies. Only with the number of female senior executives and the general audience's willingness to watch movies can there be more "Barbie" and effectively promote the development of female film and television.