The same holds true for other prominent female directors like Rebecca Hall (РІР‚СљPassingРІР‚Сњ) or Halle Berry (РІР‚СљBruisedРІР‚Сњ), who had their projects debut on Netflix. That means they donРІР‚в„ўt appear on the list of highest grossing movies. Campion and Gyllenhaal, for instance, made their movies for Netflix, which gave them only a limited theatrical run and which doesnРІР‚в„ўt release box office data. Of course, the study does not fully capture the current landscape for movies. The same held true for female editors (flat at 22%) and cinematographers (flat with 6%). Seventeen percent of writers on the most popular films were women, which was the same percentage as 2020.

Women accounted for 26% of executive producers on the top grossing movies, which was up from 21% in 2020, and 32% of producers, an increase from 30% in 2020. When you drill down into each individual role, there were other signs of progress. Women filled 25% of key behind-the-scenes roles such as directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and cinematographers on the top 250 grossing films in 2021. There were some modest improvements in other areas. Once again this year, more than 80% of films do not have a woman at the helm.РІР‚Сњ Basing our perceptions of how women are faring on the well-deserved fortunes of just a few high-profile women can lead us to inaccurate conclusions about the state of womenРІР‚в„ўs employment. РІР‚СљWhile ChloР“В© Zhao won the Oscar last year for directing РІР‚ВNomadland,РІР‚в„ў and Jane Campion is a front-runner in this yearРІР‚в„ўs race for РІР‚ВThe Power of the Dog,РІР‚в„ў the percentage of women directing films actually declined in 2021. РІР‚СљAppearances can be deceiving,РІР‚Сњ Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film and the reportРІР‚в„ўs author, said. But researchers say those achievements remain the exception to the rule. It also is being released after several female filmmakers like ChloР“В© Zhao (РІР‚СљEternalsРІР‚Сњ) and Nia DaCosta (РІР‚СљCandymanРІР‚Сњ) directed movies that topped box office charts when they were released. It comes as female filmmakers like Jane Campion (РІР‚СљThe Power of the DogРІР‚Сњ) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (РІР‚СљThe Lost DaughterРІР‚Сњ) have achieved notable critical successes this year and are seen as awards contenders. The research is the product of a report entitled the Celluloid Ceiling, which is produced annually by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. The picture grows darker when the focus narrows to the top 100 most popular movies at the box office - women comprised 12% of directors on those films, down from 16% in 2020. Hollywood made history in 2020, fielding a record number of films from female directors.Р”В«ut after achieving that milestone, the film business found itself regressing in 2021 with women comprising 17% of directors on the top 250 grossing movies, down from 18% the previous year.

Top 100 highest grossing movies