50 Specific, Actionable Steps Hollywood Can Take to Advance Gender Equity Supported by Eva Longoria, Lily Rabe, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Jonica Booth, Nia Vardalos, Catherine Hardwicke, Nisha Ganatra, Stephanie Allain, Robbie Brenner, Alana Mayo, Gigi Pritzker and more.

On 22nd January, 2024, at the IMDb, WIF and Entertainment Weekly Dinner Party at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, WIF announced the official launch of its Action50 Campaign, a list of 50 specific, actionable steps that Hollywood can take to further advance gender equity in the screen industries. Ranging from actions like following 50 women, nonbinary, and trans creators on social media, to increasing new-hire gender diversity by 10% in 2024, some steps are a lighter lift, while others can create immediate and transformational change in the industry. The event celebrated the 50th anniversary of WIF and their ongoing, years-long collaboration with IMDb to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility progress in the entertainment industry. WIF recently consulted on options for IMDbPro members to self-identify searchable demographic information that appears on their IMDb and IMDbPro name pages and helps under-represented professionals be discovered by people and companies looking to hire more inclusively. 

“For 50 years, WIF has fought for gender equity in the screen industries. We’ve seen incredible progress on these issues since our efforts began in 1973, but it’s clear there is still so much more work to be done,” said Kirsten Schaffer, CEO of WIF. “Stories have the power to change culture, yet in the most powerful storytelling industry in the world, women, nonbinary and trans people are still chronically underrepresented. Through Action50, studios, individuals, and organizations will have a clear roadmap of how they can continue to advance gender equity – with the hope that in the next 50 years, organizations such as WIF may not need to exist.” 

Throughout 2023, largely during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, WIF hosted private salon-style dinners and gatherings – with Hollywood creatives, executives, and legends – to garner ideas about what an ideal Hollywood should look like. These discussions were then leveraged to create Action50.

During these salons, attendees such as Eva Longoria, Jonica Booth, Catherine Hardwicke, Stephanie Allain, Robbie Brenner and many more were invited to ‘sign on’ to steps they were committed to take themselves or through their companies. As part of this initiative, WIF will conduct follow up with participants for accountability and data collection to measure success. 

“When we truly listen to the concerns and ideas from people of all different backgrounds and identities, we unlock the power to create real, lasting change – and that’s what WIF set out to do with these salons,” said Lake Bell, chair of WIF’s 50th Anniversary Committee and host of the WIF salon for industry creatives. “Hearing firsthand from those most impacted by Hollywood’s inequities allowed WIF to identify what advocacy areas were most important to center in the years to come.” 

Throughout its 50 years, WIF has worked to transform the culture in Hollywood by helping build the pipeline of emerging creatives – offering mentorship, networking, education and more to help lower systemic barriers in accessing jobs – creating fellowships, workshops and an industry helpline to help sustain the careers of those currently in the industry, and continuing to advocate for change across Hollywood through initiatives like ReFrame, awareness campaigns, research, and community support. 

WIF’s 50th Anniversary is presented by Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch Whisky with support from official partner Max Mara. Both Johnnie Walker, as part of its long-standing commitment to gender equity, and Max Mara, a committed 20-year partner of WIF have invested significantly in WIF to advance its mission and underwrite its programs to empower women as storytellers. The Action50 campaign creative was made possible by the generosity of WIF partner Saatchi & Saatchi. 

About WIF

Founded in 1973 as Women In Film, Los Angeles, WIF is celebrating 50 years of working for gender equity. WIF’s advocacy, career programs, and research efforts are a driving force for increasing gender representation in Hollywood. WIF works to dismantle gender bias in the screen industries by building the pipeline, sustaining careers, and advocating for change. Membership is open to all screen industry professionals, and more information can be found on their website: wif.org. You can follow WIF on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. 

About the Sponsors

About IMDb 

IMDb is the world’s most popular and authoritative source for information on movies, TV shows, and celebrities. Products and services to help fans discover and decide what to watch and where to watch it include the IMDb website for desktop and mobile devices; apps for iOS and Android; and, X-Ray on Prime Video. For entertainment industry professionals, IMDb provides IMDbPro and Box Office Mojo. IMDb licenses information from its vast and authoritative database to third-party businesses worldwide; learn more at www.developer.imdb.com. IMDb is an Amazon company. For more information, visit www.imdb.com/press and follow @IMDb. 

Johnnie Walker 

Johnnie Walker is the world’s number one Scotch Whisky brand, enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavor and quality above else. Six generations of skilled Master Blenders have pioneered and crafted bold new flavors that have transformed a small Scottish grocery store business, founded in 1820, into an international whisky business selling stylish, authentic, and iconic blends. Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label, Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Johnnie Walker High Rye Blended Scotch Whisky, Gold Label Reserve, Aged 18 Years and Blue Label. Together they account for nearly 19 million cases sold annually (IWSR, 2019), making Johnnie Walker the most popular Scotch Whisky brand in the world. 

Max Mara 

Founded in 1951 by the late visionary Achille Maramotti, MAX MARA is one of the highest expressions of Italian luxury and style. A contemporary collection of ready-to-wear and accessories for today’s powerful women. Recognized for its timeless designs and its luxurious fabrics, Max Mara is revered for the classification of the absolute coat, sharp suiting, and modern accessories. Max Mara is distributed in 2,500 locations in more than 100 countries worldwide. The Max Mara Fashion Group counts nine different brands. The company remains privately held and managed by the Maramotti family.

In this inaugural episode from a series of in-depth conversations with international changemakers, WFT Ireland Chair and WIFT International President Dr. Susan Liddy delves into an insightful discussion with Terry Lawler – former Executive Director of WFT New York and a member of the current WIFTI Advisory Board. Through this series, we aim to speak with a range of women who have shaped WIFTI and the media landscape over the last few decades. 

With over two decades at the helm of the New York chapter, Terry’s leadership has been nothing short of extraordinary. In this podcast episode, Susan and Terry explore many questions. What does it take to navigate the complexities of running one of the largest chapters in one of the biggest cities of a global organisation like WIFTI? What transformations has she witnessed during her dynamic tenure?

A special nod of appreciation goes out to all international colleagues at WIFTI for their unwavering support. 

This WFT Ireland podcast episode has been made possible with the support of the Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund. 

About Terry Lawler

Terry Lawler is a media consultant, and the Director of the CinemaStreet Women’s Short Screenplay Contest. Previously she was the Executive Director of New York Women in Film & Television for 21 years. She serves on the Boards of Directors of Women Make Movies, IndieCollect and Manhattan Neighborhood Network. Prior to joining NYWIFT, Lawler was Director of Development and Production at Women Make Movies and National Director of Film and Videomakers Services at the American Film Institute. She has been a media consultant for foundations and nonprofit groups, including the MacArthur Foundation, the Astraea Foundation, the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Goethe Institute, among others. She was a production executive on several network television specials and was Executive Producer of Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography, which won Best Documentary awards from the American Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Circle and Hollywood Mavericks, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

About Susan Liddy

Dr. Susan Liddy is a lecturer and Assistant Professor in the Department of Media and Communication Studies in MIC, University of Limerick. She is also the EDII Faculty of Arts Lead (equality, diversity, inclusion and interculturalism) in MIC. Her research interests relate primarily to gender and diversity issues in the Irish screen industries; motherhood and caring; the representation of women in non-traditional industry roles; ‘harmful behaviours’ in the screen industries workplace; and the representation of older women on screen and behind the camera. She is editor of a number of national and international collections: Women in the Irish Film Industry: Stories and Storytellers (Cork University Press 2020): Women in the International Film Industry: Policy, Practice and Power (Palgrave Macmillan 2020); Women, Ageing and the Screen Industries: Falling off a cliff? (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023); co-editor of Media Work, Mothers and Motherhood: Negotiating the International Audio-Visual Industry (Routledge 2021). Susan has published in a range of academic journals and has also written popular pieces for newspapers etc. She has co-authored two industry reports Auditing gender and diversity change in Irish media sectors for the BAI (2021) and The Pursuit of Change: Issues Affecting Parents and Carers in Ireland’s Screen Industries (Raising Films Ireland 2022). She is currently co-authoring a report with Dr Fergal Rhatigan on harmful behaviours and workplace culture in the Irish screen industries for Women in Film and Television Ireland, funded by Screen Ireland’s Stakeholder Funding Scheme. Susan is the Chair of Women in Film and Television Ireland; President of Women in Film and Television International; Chair of the Equality Action Committee of the Writers Guild of Ireland; a board member of Raising Films Ireland and the Irish Film Institute. She is the Director of Catalyst International Film Festival, Limerick – a festival that prioritises films and filmmakers from underrepresented groups.

HerArts Film Lab, an international script development lab for women and non-binary filmmakers, is accepting submissions for its Spring 2024 edition. It will run from April 29, 2024 to May 5, 2024 in Paestum, in the southern Italian region of Campania. The lab is addressed to writers and directors globally, currently developing scripts for their fiction feature-length films or TV series pilots, who would like to workshop their projects in a supportive environment with experienced mentors and fellow female writers.

The workshop was created by Filmmaker and WIFTM Italy Member, Eliza Subotowicz.

Deadline to apply: February 10.

Power To Transform announced that the Global Forum for Women will once again take place during the Berlinale 2024!

Power To Transform Chairwomen Barbara Rohm & Yvonne de Andrés share: “We have fond memories of the last forum, in which 59 organisations from 29 countries took part. This time, we will have more time to gather, exchange news, network, and support each other in a non-public part. We will hear inspiring power speeches from fellow campaigners, who will share their knowledge, experiences, and best practices with us. Afterward, we will open the event to a wider Berlinale audience, where we will discuss the topic of how to move beyond the male gaze and pose questions about how post-heroic storytelling can shape the future. More than ever, our fractured world needs new ways to amplify the widest range of new voices telling stories in new ways. As the author and mythologist Sharon Blackie says: “Post-heroic stories aren’t focused on individual glory; they’re focused on community and relationality. On diversity.” In this forum, we cordially invite trans and non-binary filmmakers.”

In a preceded closed event, under the title “Heroines for Change”, will feature 5-Minute Power Speeches from a wide-ranging group of fellow campaigners working in the field of gender equality and diversity. Participation is by personal invitation only.

The in-person event will take place on February 16th, 2024 at the Embassy of Canada to Germany, Leipziger Platz 17, 10117 Berlin.

The panel will discuss: “Post-Heroic Storytelling: Moving beyond the Male Gaze and Reimagining the Female Gaze.” The dramaturgy of filmmaking is fixated on the recipe of the hero’s journey and on patriarchal narratives. These stories are not serving all identities and they are teaching lessons that are only good for the wealthy and most powerful. They are also presented in such a way that we are led to simply accept the status quo of the world, rather than to question it. If we want to see innovative and diverse stories on the big screen, we have to pose questions about how to move beyond the male gaze and how Post-Heroic Storytelling can shape the future.

As the author and mythologist, Sharon Blackie says: “Post-Heroic Stories aren’t focused on individual glory; they’re focused on community and relationality. On diversity.” More than ever, our fractured world needs new ways to amplify the widest range of new voices telling stories in new ways. Power To Transform welcomes Anna Hints (Estonia), Minnenhle Luthuli (South Africa), Gail Maurice (Canada), and Joey Soloway (USA) in a panel discussion to be moderated by Manori Ravindran (UK).

Find the programme here!

Power To Transform also announced an online masterclasses on Thursday, 18 January 2024 to complement the Berlinale forum event.

The masterclass features Dr. Sharon Blackie. The award-winning writer, psychologist, and mythologist, Dr. Sharon Blackie believes that since we are all innately storytelling-creatures, stories and folklore, with their embedded life lessons, are deeply entwined in our civilization and culture. However, these stories are not serving us well and they are teaching lessons that are only good for the wealthy and most powerful. They are also presented to us in such a way that we are led to simply accept the status quo of the world, rather than to question. These so-called ‘Heroic Stories’ promote the idea that we need to be bigger and better than the previous generations and they purport the myth of ‘More, More, More’, whereby our character is defined by what we have and what we buy.

Therefore we should look at the re-imagining of these stories, because if our cultural mythology is rich and nourishing, it inspires us and gives us meaning. If it is arid and heartless, then it leaves us alienated and rootless. A Post-Heroic Story is a story that built not on individuality and competition, but on building community and recognizing diversity. It is story not about strength, but compassion. Quoting Carl Jung, Dr Sharon Blackie says: “If the cultural mythology is dying, then the myth-making power lies in the individual (or a group of individuals). We need to kickstart the transformation of culture. We need stories to re-enchant us, our children and the world.”

The conversation will be led by Barbara Rohm, Chairwoman Power to Transform!.

Please register to participate since the number of participants is limited!

WIFTI Member Nikki Cole shares her experience at Content London 2023. Content London is a stimulating event in the global content industry calendar. Over three days it brings the global drama, formats, and factual communities together around a conference, awards, and networking agenda. Nikki mentions: “I just had a wonderful, productive time at Content London. The industry is buzzing as we head post-strike into the ‘new normal’. Lots of good meetings, networking, and invaluable panels.”

Nikki Cole, a member of WIF LA and WIFT Toronto, an entertainment professional who writes, directs, and produces shows for leading production studios, also attended the Women in Film and Television International Summit (WIFTI) in Helsinki, Finland this year.

At the Helsinki event, Nikki listened to many of these panels and specifically participated in the ageism session. As an entertainment professional who has been creating award-winning films and TV series for quite some time, she recognizes how big of a problem it is. Nikki is a member of several women’s equity groups focused on increasing gender and age diversity within film and television. She mentors for Women In Film and Television Toronto and is a member of multiple guilds and non-profits such as The Director’s Guild of Canada, Alliance of Women Directors, Women In the Director’s Chair, the CMPA, Film Fatales, Greenlight Women, and WIF LA.

Remembering the WIFTI Summit

Nikki was immensely grateful to attend the WFTI summit as she was the recipient of a travel grant from The Canada Council for the Arts. Recent times have been difficult for her as the industry and its creatives are grappling with strikes and a reduction in available work. Nikki finds the silver lining in these experiences, while she looks forward to the projects she is currently working on being green-lit.

“I’ve been to Helsinki before,” says Nikki, “However, attending the Women in Film and Television International Summit (WIFTI) was a one-of-a-kind experience. I was overjoyed to join the diverse and inclusive atmosphere with many other talented professionals including non-binary participants and male allies. It was especially eye-opening to speak with internationally respected leaders from all over the planet, including representatives from Botswana, Jamaica, Israel, and the Northern Sammi indigenous people. The summit was full of surprises including daily saunas, amazing food, art walks, an opera performance, and an emotional handover from outgoing founder and president Helene Granqvist to incoming president Susan Liddy. I so look forward to furthering and strengthening the relationships I made there.”

In the future, Nikki plans to continue promoting messages of diversity and inclusion while continuing to develop, produce, and direct her own films and series, and collaborating with partners in the film and television industry.

WIFTI organised the 2023 Summit in cooperation and by the invitation of WIFT Finland and WIFT Sweden with WIFT Finland in charge of the event production. The WIFTI Helsinki Summit 2023 was curated by Marjaana Mykkänen, in collaboration with Helene Granqvist, Dr. Susan Liddy, and Kirsten Schaffer, in cooperation with the WIFTI Knowledge, Advocacy, and Activism Committee. There was much joy in seeing familiar faces, especially since most of the attendees hadn’t travelled much in the last few years. Many of these panels are now available to watch via a curated WIFTI YouTube Playlist!

The WIFTI Helsinki Summit 2023 was supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the Finnish Film Foundation, Hanaholmen Cultural Center, WIF Los Angeles, West Finland Film Commission/Turku Business Region, City of Espoo, City of Helsinki, and by Audiovisual Producers of Finland, Business Finland, the Irish Embassy, Aurora Studios, Elisa Entertainment and Finnish Film Workers Union.

On Saturday, the conference saw a discussion on the current status of Gender Equality from researchers, professors, and professionals including Prof. Lisa French (Australia), Dr. Eva Flicker (Austria), Dr. Susan Liddy (Ireland), Dr. Greta Gober (Poland). They discussed change – what has changed, who’s responsible for change, what does change mean? Director Katja Gauriloff (Skolt Sámi, Finland), director Fawzia Mirza (US/Canada), and editor Theo Lindberg (Sweden) were in conversation with Victoria Thomas (UK).

Liselott Forsman from the Nordic Film & TV Fund talked about the impact of AI.

Laura Allen Muller from WIFT Denmark spoke about their campaign “A BIGGER PICTURE” which aims to improve the representation of minorities in Danish Film and TV.

Andria Wilson Mirza from WIF LA shared some insights into how the ReFrame Initiative (a collaboration between WIF LA and the Sundance Institute) designs and leads systemic change programs in Hollywood and how they develop partnerships with key industry leaders and companies. Within the ReFrame Initiative, they are now launching ReFrame ReSource – an online hub of culture change tools and best practices created in collaboration with 50+ advocacy organisations, covering topics ranging from equity in development to production, hiring, and audience development.

Eeva-Sofia Anttonen from WIFT Finland presented a digital tool called “The Equality Tool for the AV industry” to help people in the industry take concrete actions to improve equality and comply with diversity legislation. They are launching it soon, and it will soon be available in Swedish!

The audience heard from Brigitte Monneau, Canada, about women as a specialist tool. They also heard from Domizia De Rosa, Italy, about rules for ethical behaviour in the AudioVisual Field Sector. Alejandra FC Zarazua, Sweden, disclosed insights from WIFT TECH.

WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer, WIF LA, shared the celebration of WIF LA turning 50 with stories about how the community was built 50 years ago, what change looks like now, and what’s next for WIF and the movement, followed by an evening of dinner, dance and a celebration of WIF LA turning 50.

Helene Granqvist also presented the newly instated WIFTI Peace Prize to Anne Lajla Utsi from the Sámi Film Institute. The WIFTI Peace Prize rewards the efforts of embracing peace, even while experiencing tension, discomfort, and historical challenges. The prize honours the art of storytelling and the process of building constructive relationships.

Sunday morning started off with “Voices from the Indigenous North.” Pauliina Feodoroff remarked about how to re-learn communication with nature, Anne-Lajla Utsi (Sámi Film Institute) shared how three of the four films from their slate have premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, Victoria Thomas (UK) and Grace Maharaj (Sweden) talked about leadership and economic equity in the European media and entertainment context. Dr. Deborah Jermyn, Professor Bernadette Luciano, and Dr. Susan Liddy talked about inclusivity with a spotlight on age.

Then there was an opportunity to visit different rooms with different discussions – topics ranging from how to run a successful chapter, gender inclusive language and chapter names, benchmarking programs: mentoring, upskilling, advocacy, sustainability, experience on ageism and how to overcome it, the imperative and the impossibility of managing diversity, global guilds and peer groups.

Domizia De Rosa, Italy, Elina Knihtilä, Finland, Norma Jean Straw, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA, Kirsten Schaffer, WIF LA were in a panel called “Culture Wars”, addressing the right-wing governments around the world who are using culture (including film, TV, media) to move forwards repressive agendas.

Hollywood, Bollywood, and Nollywood are the three largest film and television-producing regions in the world – but not in that order. Do you know who produces the most films? Guneet Monga Kapoor, India, Fawzia Mirza, US/Canada, Victoria Thomas, UK taught us that Nollywood and Bollywood are not terms used by their own industries and that from here on out we should all call them for what they are – the Nigerian film industry and the Indian film industry.

The Summit was enveloped with discussions on the next steps for WIFTI, and summaries from all the parallel group meetings earlier in the day.

In the afternoon, there was a ceremony of the change of guards where Helene Granqvist stepped down as president of WIFTI and Dr. Susan Liddy took over the reins. In between all the sessions, the attendees had time for chats, saunas, dips in the ocean or the pool (or both, for some), and all in all, it was a weekend full of community, love, respect, and simply amazing to share a room with people from six different continents and feel they are all working towards the same goal. A better world.

Thanks to Theo Lindberg for providing the original summary as well as for his great contributions to the event in question.

President Dr Susan Liddy is enthusiastic about the Helsinki Summit: “I’d like to pay tribute to the work of Marjaana Mykkanen and the Finnish team and to all the volunteers who gave so freely of their time. The event was a wonderful celebration of our global organisation, a really memorable occasion. I’m looking forward to the next summit already!”

The 120 participants (of whom 34 speakers) used the days well to match the promise of the event: To share ideas, working methods and solutions for the future of an equal audiovisual industry. The event opens a view to the global landscape of women in film, television and media, giving members a chance and means to learn from and support each other.

Based on almost unanimous feedback, the experience was pleasant. When asked what they liked: 

“Everything! It was really one of nicest encounters of my life! I loved the very safe and caring atmosphere, the excellency of the organization, the location, the panels and most importantly to connect to such interesting people from all over the world. Comprehensive program – multiple topics, multiple voices.“

“I learned that there are so many initiatives going on all over the world, and that we can make an impact together. I also learnt that collaboration is of vast importance in order to get somewhere and that sharing information is crucial. We don’t have to invent “the wheel” over and over.”

“I learned that we can be a global force of change.” 

“I learned a great deal of invaluable information, but what stuck with me the most was the diversity discussions, and how to use and share resources in a more efficient way.”

“That I have an amazing network of women all around the world that has existed already 50 years. And that we have still lots to do together, and we need to stand next to each others. Other countries are still in the beginning of the change, and even the more developed ones are getting clash backs at the moment. Together we are stronger and we will change the world!”