In previous interviews with Rachel Millward a certain number usually comes up. When it comes to statistics relating to women working in the film industry, this number isn’t so lucky. Only seven percent of directors working in the film industry are women. Why are there so few? Why does society at large need more women working in the film industry? What is the Birds Eye View film festival doing to the bridge the gap?
I met Birds Eye View Director Rachel Millward to discuss the festival, future plans for Birds Eye View, why there is a need for female filmmakers, and the power of our medium.
Why do you think it is harder for women to succeed in the industry?
‘There are certain points that always come up when you’re talking about why women are not making headway and one of them really is just this confidence factor. It is a lot about networking and about being able to promote yourself without appearing pushy, and its hard for women because you get branded as being a pushy woman really bloody quickly and that’s very real.’ I raise the point that she has been able to succeed. Are there qualities she has that she feels have helped her along the way? ‘I have a certain level of self confidence and a lot of driving passion. I think I’m in a minority of women having that. I’m really lucky to have that. So I’d rather use it to open it out for more women.’
She talks about how women’s desires to have children are another potential set back to an ongoing film career. ‘Women are trying to juggle career and bring up their children and on the whole men aren’t sharing both those burdens. Fundamentally it’s really difficult for women. I mean, talk about directing feature films and having a long established career and really needing to take every job you can get and be pushing to the next and to the next. In a way you’ve got quite a short time to do that’
It’s inevitable that in a discussion of equality between men and women in a given industry, feminism comes up. I bring up the fact that feminism has become such a loaded term.
‘So loaded!!. It really annoys me that it’s that loaded. I think people are not understanding what feminism is, they think it’s to do with hating men. Hello?!!! That’s absolutely irrelevant. I think feminism is radically misunderstood. I think there are loads of different kinds of feminism. I change my mind about feminism and different feminisms all the time. But there’s a basic issue which I never change my mind about. There is not equality and there’s a hell of a lot of sexism out there. But if you speak in that language you alienate so many women. It’s become sort of negative. It’s not working. And it’s not not working because it’s done it’s time. It’s just not working, and that’s a tragedy and that can’t happen, because it’s not finished yet. ‘
This is definitely an issue that informs the approach that BEV takes to presenting these issues. ‘I think there has to be another way of doing things and it has to be inclusive of all women.. What you don’t want to do is preach to the converted and have a tiny niche event. This is fifty two percent of the population. It’s not this militant 4 percent. If you have a little posse of four percent and they all get together and get militant achieving what? Maybe achieving loads of things in some ways but not achieving what they need to achieve which is just women understanding en masse that we can be more confident, we can tell stories, create culture, have vision and do amazing things.’
Her enthusiasm is infectious. As she continues to speak, the strength of the festival format becomes more evident. ‘What we could have done is said, right we’re going to have a conference on the lack of women filmmakers and we’re going to have all these speakers, and that to me is just going to achieve a lot less than saying Right what’s happening, it’s brilliant, lets put a spotlight on it and lets go forward, positively.’ But is there not something inherently political in what BEV is doing?
‘I’m never denying it’s political. I love the fact that it’s political but I think that the fact that it’s entertaining and creative as well is just absolutely key. And I think that is why that it’s had the success that it’s had, because otherwise it would be boring.’ The line between straightforward entertainment and political awareness is quite important and fascinating for Rachel. However, the overall feel of the festival is created by BEV’s array of dynamic and engaging films. Above all else it is simply a very enjoyable event. This vibrancy is important, in so much as that it makes the festival extremely accessible for everyone.
‘It’s not intimidating. Men come along too, and they really enjoy it, and that’s crucial, absolutely crucial. A lot of people who’ve been our regular supporters are not within the film industry themselves. They’re coming because it’s fantastic entertainment, and it’s really important to me that it’s not just an industry network all about itself. But at the same time I want to have regular networking events for the industry so people can keep being excited about it and energized ‘
We discuss the fact that most of the filmmakers who have screened in birds eye view do not define themselves as “women filmmakers”. I suggest that it is almost as if they have never considered this matter, until finding themselves in a BEV question and answer panel.
‘But they’re comfortable on the bird’s eye view platform nevertheless. That’s a really important balance to get. It doesn’t really matter if you think gender is important in your filmmaking or not. I don’t even know if anyone can ever know that. Do men think gender is important in their filmmaking? Are they male filmmakers? They’re just filmmakers. I think it’s really important that we don’t make women answer questions that men never have to answer. It’s too much of a burden. Filmmakers aren’t sociologists. They don’t have to think about why they’re there; they can only talk about their own personal journey.’
Rachel acknowledges that strong female characters can come from men as well. However, she makes some very strong points about the repercussions of a male controlled medium.
‘I just think it’s obviously wrong that 93% of what we watch is made by men. I do think that men can portray women in amazing positive ways. I just think that it’s blindingly obvious that it’s not going to be the same. You’re not going to say that 93% of all films being made have these amazing well represented women, because they don’t. I mean that’s obvious isn’t it? It’s going to impact the way women are represented and that’s therefore going to impact what women think they can do. Even just roles in general or body image stuff. Eating disorders are a major major major issue in this country, huge! I just don’t believe that that’s got nothing to do with what we see on screen.’If we had more balance women would feel freer and freer and freer to tell all kinds of stories
I mention that throughout the programming of BEV innovation seemed to be quite key.
‘I think if you’re serious about saying that women are cutting it, well you show that they’re cutting it. They need to be innovative. Again I think that the idea of women as innovators is one we’re not quite used to really. ‘ Does she think that a women’s perspective comes through in the films that she has programmed?
‘I don’t know a lot of people would say that there is something of a female perspective that comes through. But then again these are just films in their own right; they’re solid films, all so different. ‘
I suggest that maybe the fact that you can’t necessarily tell the films are made by women is also an interesting point. ‘Exactly! And I think certainly the opening night programmed of shorts was very different from any other shorts programme I’ve ever shown, it was less emotive and less emotionally involving than previous programmes’.
Birds Eye View has evolved from a few one off events to a fully fledged high profile festival. In achieving this I ask Rachel about her future plans for BEV. There are many ideas she has for regular events that could happen. The new branch of BEV that Rachel seems most excited about is a series of educational programmes. BEV has already run a few pilots.
‘We went into these girls’ schools in Kent. We showed them some short films. We talked about why film is important to them. We asked them: Have you ever made a decision because of something you saw? Who do you aspire to be like on screen? Who do you really admire? How do you see certain types of people? I’m expecting Rachel to tell me their responses, only to learn that these questions are serving a different purpose.
‘In a way that part of it just gets them realizing how much film influences them. Then we asked them: Do you think it matters who makes films? We gave them all these facts about women in film, and they were so shocked that there were so few. It was amazing having these teenagers think about the reality of this difference, having them explore why there are certain things that they would never think of doing. The thing is we all want to do things that we see people like us doing. You need somebody to aspire to. ‘
The teenage years seem to be a key time to plant the seed of this kind of awareness. We relate over the way we remember ourselves at this time. A sixteen year old can be very intelligent and self aware, yet also vulnerable and needing guidance. Most importantly this is a time when influences and new ideas can really matter. ‘Its important that we don’t go in and say to sixteen year olds- ‘It’s really depressing out there’ and just be positive about it. At the beginning of the afternoon they don’t know what to say, sitting there listening to us talk about it, they’re a bit too shy to speak. But at the end of it they’re really enjoying the fact that they’re thinking about these questions, which are actually basic and straight forward, but are also very complicated. And they’re really loving engaging with it, being given that opportunity. I think that’s what that age is all about.‘
She goes on to talk about some of the knock on effects she has felt from running birds eye view events and promoting their first festival. ‘Raising it as a major issue inevitably makes people like producers and commissioners think about it a bit more, even if it’s not conscious they will. Certainly if it’s starting to work as a platform for talent, they’ll potentially spot talent there.”
She thinks about this for a moment and then adds. ‘ And some of the PR for the festival is not just PR for birds eye view is it? It’s PR for an issue.”
After having read and heard so much about who BEV is and what their objectives are, it’s what Rachel says next that reveals its true agenda. BEV, through its festival, one off events, educational programmes, even it’s PR, is making women and men (at all ages of their life) recognize the power of the cinematic medium. In making people aware of this power and inspiring more women to make films, it hopes to help rectify the gender imbalances at large.
‘This isn’t just about the film industry. Because I do think film has a profound influence on all of us, then I do think it matters who makes it for all of us, not just people working in it. I think we need to get more women working in it so that audiences (who are just everybody) have a balanced perspective. I think that matters for society. Film is powerful for everybody. The educational programme isn’t just saying get a job in film, its saying think about what you’re watching, you don’t have to follow those stereotypes. There are other role models out there. I’m interested in empowerment of women, in general. I think that because film is generated by men and that influences us then that’s bad for empowerment of women outside the industry as well. It’s not the same as I want to see more…I want to see women working in…a particular business. like…’
She struggles for a moment to think of a suitable profession to use as an example. I suggest “Electricians”. She smiles and carries on.
‘Ok. It’s really important that women feel able to be electricians. But who your electrician is doesn’t to the same extent effect the rest of your life. The films that you’re watching are not just entertainment, they’re communicating ideas. This is why it’s not just about representation within the industry its. Instead of the stories we tell around the fire, these are the tales of our time. Think about Hollywood. Think about how many millions and millions of people all around the world listen to that story, watch those images, take that in, So the reach of it goes well beyond the industry. In order to achieve the balance [in representation of women] you have to have more women working in the film industry. You can’t force a message out there but by giving more people access to the medium then hopefully, the message gets itself out.
So that’s what I want to end on achieving really. Or at least to get people thinking along those lines.’
There is no doubt that BEV has effectively done just that. This year they have successfully run their first film festival, but in the future maybe they will imbue a generation of women with a stronger comprehension of how films they watch affect them. Of course personally I have another hope… for improved statistics, a new breed of filmmakers, who maybe just maybe, might happen to be women.
