NEW GUERRILLA GIRLS' BILLBOARD GOES UP FEB 1, 2006!
The 800-pound gorilla in Hollywood isn't King Kong-it's
discrimination against women directors!
THE GUERRILLA GIRLS AND MOVIES BY WOMEN UNVEIL A NEW BILLBOARD AT
SUNSET AND CAHUENGA IN HOLLYWOOD, FEB 1-MARCH 5, 2006
We took Kong, gave him a sex change and a designer gown, and set her
up in Hollywood, just a few blocks from where the Oscars will be
awarded March 5, 2006.
Why? To reveal the sordid but True Hollywood Story about the lack of
women and people of color behind the scenes in the film industry:
Only 7% of 2005's 200 top-grossing films were directed by women.
Only 3 women have ever been nominated for an Oscar for Direction
(Lina Wertmuller (1976), Jane Campion (1982,) and Sofia Coppola
(2003). None has won.
More embarrassing Hollywood statistics:
Of 2004"s top-grossing films:*
5% had female directors
12% had female writers
3% had female cinematographers 16% had female editors
Only 8 people of color have ever been nominated for an Oscar for
Direction.**
Hollywood guilds are 80 to 90 % white.
Only 3% of the Oscars for acting have been won by people of color.
In the 21st century, low, low, low numbers like this HAVE to be the
result of discrimination, unconscious, conscious or both. Hollywood
likes to think of itself as cool, edgy and ahead of its time, but it
actually lags way behind the rest of society in employing women and
people of color in top positions.
There may be women heading studios these days, but what are they
doing for women and people of color? Why do they keep the white male
film director stereotype alive? Here's an easy way to change things:
open up that boys' club and hire more women and people of color. It
worked in medicine, business and law. It worked in the art world. Now
it's Hollywood's turn. Rattle that cage, break those chains! LET
WOMEN DIRECT!
Pictures of the new billboard can be downloaded here
High-resolution images and interviews are available from
kathekollwitz@guerrillagirls.com.
ABOUT THE GUERRILLA GIRLS
We're feminist masked avengers in the tradition of anonymous
do-gooders like Robin Hood, Wonder Woman and Batman. We use facts,
humor and outrageous visuals to expose sexism, racism and corruption
in politics, art, film and pop culture. This is our third billboard
criticizing and satirizing the film industry. You can see the others here
Our work has
been passed around the world by our tireless supporters. We've
appeared all over the world in recent years, as well as in The New
York Times, The New Yorker, Bitch, Mother Jones and Artforum; on NPR,
the BBC and CBC. We are authors of stickers, billboards, many, many
posters and other projects (including a large-scale installation for
the 2005 Venice Biennale,) and several books including Bitches,
Bimbos and Ballbreakers: the Guerrilla Girls' Illustrated Guide to
Female Stereotypes.
ABOUT MOVIES BY WOMEN
Moviesbywomen.com is a grassroots collective that works toward
increasing the awareness of women's contributions to film and
television history. The site is dedicated to gaining equality for
women directors and maintains an ongoing campaign to unite women film
organizations nationwide. Information on historic female directors,
statistics on women directors, and Director interviews are also
featured. Moviesbywomen.com hosts the weekly email THE FIRST
WEEKENDERS GROUP to promote ticket buying for feature films directed
by women the first weekend they are theatrically distributed, and to
help drive viewership for women-directed films aired on television.
Launched in 1999, THE FIRST WEEKENDERS GROUP subscriber list has
grown to include over 3000 members nationwide.
Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to the billboard!
* 2004 stats from the most recent study by Martha Lauzen of San Diego
State University
**Includes Ang Lee, nominated this year. If he wins,he will be the
first person of color to do so in 78 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment