This year’s Cannes Film Festival has handed out its director selections—and for the second straight year, women are shockingly underrepresented. Only five of the 22 selected directors are female, a drop from seven in 2023. Campaigners and filmmakers say the numbers aren’t just disappointing—they’re proof that France, a country that prides itself on equality, still treats women directors as an afterthought.

The festival’s programming committee, led by Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Frémaux, has long faced criticism for favoring male filmmakers. Frémaux has defended the selections, arguing that the quality of submitted films—not gender—dictates who gets in. But activists like Alix Bénézech, a film producer and vocal advocate for gender parity, call the excuses tired. “They keep saying the problem will fix itself,” she said. “But we’ve been saying the same thing for a decade. Where’s the progress?”

France’s film industry has a gender problem

French cinema has a long history of male dominance, especially in high-profile roles. Women make up just 23% of directors in France’s top-grossing films, according to a 2023 report by the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC), the government agency that funds French films. The gap is even wider for women of color, who are almost invisible in decision-making roles. The issue isn’t just about who gets to direct—it’s about who gets funding, distribution, and industry recognition.

The problem starts early. Film schools in France, like La Fémis, graduate nearly as many women as men, but by the time careers take off, the numbers plummet. A 2022 study by the Collectif 50/50 found that women directed just 21% of French films released that year. The organization, which pushes for gender parity in the industry, has been pushing for binding quotas to force change—but so far, the government hasn’t acted.

Critics say Cannes is part of the problem

The Cannes Film Festival isn’t just a symptom of the gender gap—it’s a symbol of it. The festival’s prestigious Palme d’Or has been won only twice by women in its 77-year history. The most recent winner, Justine Triet, took the top prize in 2023 for Anatomy of a Fall, but before that, no woman had won since 2008. The lack of female winners reinforces the idea that men’s films are more “important” or “prestigious,” critics argue.

Frémaux has said he’s open to more women being selected, but he blames the imbalance on the films submitted. However, data from the past five years shows that when women do direct films that compete for major prizes, they’re often overlooked. For example, in 2021, Julia Ducournau won the Grand Prix for Titane, but her film was initially snubbed in the main competition. Ducournau herself has spoken about the double standards women face, saying directors like her are often labeled “too extreme” or “not universal” in ways male filmmakers aren’t.

What’s next for French cinema?

Pressure is building on France to act. Last year, the government pledged €50 million to support women filmmakers, but critics say it’s not enough. The Ministry of Culture has been slow to enforce real change, leaving the industry to police itself—a strategy that hasn’t worked so far.

Some filmmakers are taking matters into their own hands. Groups like Le Deuxième Regard (The Second Look) are creating their own platforms to showcase women’s films, bypassing the traditional gatekeepers. Others are calling for Cannes to adopt a quota system, similar to what Venice Film Festival introduced in 2022, where at least 30% of films in competition must be directed by women or non-binary filmmakers.

The silence from Cannes this year speaks volumes. With no major announcements from Frémaux about next steps, it’s clear the festival isn’t ready to lead the change. That leaves the question: Will France finally force the industry to change, or will it keep waiting for a miracle?

What You Need to Know

  • Source: RFI
  • Published: May 15, 2026 at 09:41 UTC
  • Category: World
  • Topics: #rfi · #france · #world-news · #entertainment · #movies · #only

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 15, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

O Festival de Cannes, um dos eventos cinematográficos mais prestigiados do mundo, voltou a acender o debate sobre igualdade de gênero ao revelar que, em 2024, apenas cinco dos 22 diretores selecionados para as principais competições são mulheres — uma queda em relação ao ano anterior, quando o número era maior. A disparidade escancara um problema histórico na indústria do cinema, onde a representatividade feminina segue sendo uma exceção, não a regra.

O cenário é ainda mais emblemático quando se considera que a França, sede do festival, é um dos países europeus com legislações avançadas em direitos de mulheres e políticas de igualdade. No entanto, a realidade dos bastidores mostra que a equidade de gênero no cinema francês — e global — ainda está muito longe do ideal. Para o Brasil, onde o debate sobre representatividade no audiovisual também ganha força, a discussão sobre Cannes serve como um espelho: apesar dos avanços, a indústria ainda precisa de ações concretas para romper barreiras estruturais que mantêm mulheres longe de posições de destaque.

A pressão sobre os organizadores do festival e as produtoras francesas deve crescer nos próximos meses, com movimentos feministas e coletivos de cinema já articulando cobranças por mudanças efetivas.

🇪🇸 Resumen en Español

El Festival de Cannes 2024 ha vuelto a poner sobre la mesa una desigualdad que resiste: solo cinco de los 22 directores seleccionados en la competición oficial son mujeres, una cifra que retrocede respecto al año anterior y que enciende las alarmas sobre la persistente brecha de género en el cine de autor.

Francia, cuna de la Nouvelle Vague y de un modelo cinematográfico que muchos consideran referente, se ve ahora interpelada por críticos y profesionales del sector. La baja representación femenina no solo refleja un problema estructural en la industria —donde las mujeres dirigen menos del 20% de las películas francesas—, sino que también cuestiona el compromiso real de las instituciones con políticas de igualdad. Mientras cineastas como Céline Sciamma o Claire Denis siguen siendo excepciones en un panorama dominado por nombres masculinos, el festival se convierte en un espejo incómodo de una industria que, pese a los discursos progresistas, avanza a trompicones en la inclusión.