It’s a question which still needs to be asked in too many places. And the film industry is prominent among them. When the Harvey Weinstein allegations f irst made headlines in 2017, it became clear that exploitation and abuse are rife behind Hollywood’s closed doors. Even in the world’s most ostensibly glamorous profession, women must contend with a system that deems them to be less valuable, less worthy of respect and opportunity.
The #MeToo movement has broken a dam of silence, empowering women in the film industry and beyond to speak up about their experiences of sexual assault and harassment. But justice is far from straightforward in a world built on unequal foundations. Sexism is woven into the fabric of the entertainment industry, from the way that films are made to what we see onscreen.
The numbers are stark. Male Hollywood stars earn $1.1 million more per film than their similarly experienced female co-stars. Behind the scenes of the 100 top-grossing films in 2017-18, men outnumbered women more than 4:1
