The head of the Venice Film Festival defends the lack of women in the program (again)

"Venice can not do anything about it, it's not up to us to change the situation," says Barbera.

Last year, Venice was publicly ashamed of having included only one of 21 films in its women-led contest series, and many expected director Alberto Barbera to change this year and at least one other. But Barbera has remained true to his principles and has doubled his insistence that it is not the job of the festival to change the industry. The 75th edition of the Venice Film Festival will once again feature only one of 21 films directed by a woman.

"Put another film in the main competition just because it's done by a woman, from my point of view it would be really offensive to the director," says Barbera The Hollywood Reporter in Rome. "I'd rather change jobs if I had to choose a movie only because it's done by a woman and not based on the quality of the film itself."

Barbera said this year to have watched 1,500 films "

" As I have said many times in the past, the best way to see a movie is to watch it without reading the credits. I do not want to be influenced by the filmmaker. I do not care if it's a woman or a man, "he says. "My job is to decide if it's a good movie or not, and if one movie is better than another."

Barbera admits that with most of the big movies, it's impossible to watch the movie without knowing who's behind it.

"Of course, if I see ROMA I know it's done by Alfonso Cuaron.If I see a film made by Jennifer Kent, I know that Jennifer Kent did the movie. We watched Nightingale because we knew that the filmmaker was a promising talent and so on, "he says.

"But when we see a first feature film coming out of nowhere, I do not know where, When we look at the quality of cinema, I do not care if it's a man or a woman. because it's a good movie, "says Barbera." Of course, I'd be happy to have more women in the festival, but that does not depend on me. "

Again, Barbera blames the beginning cycle of a film, rather on the cycle and distribution of the festival. "The problem is that there is still a lot of prejudice in the industry and that things have to be changed. They will change I think. It takes time of course, "he says." But sooner or later, everyone will realize that female directors are as good and creative as their male colleagues. But it's something that needs to be changed at the beginning of the chain, not at the end, not to guarantee, for example, a quarter of the film festival slots for women. "

" You have to change the opportunity to approach the profession, to give women the same opportunities as those offered to men now, and that's something that escapes us, "he says. "Venice can not do anything about it, it is not up to us to change the situation." Barbera highlighted this year the situation in Cannes and Locarno, which was only slightly better, with three of the 17 films presented by Cannes and three films out of 15 by Locarno

"We can not do anything about it, what can you do about it? I would be happy to say oh, I have an equal number of films made by men and women, "says Barbera in the future."

"All great film festival today. who has such biased gender relations is part of the problem, not part of the solution.Their choices serve to reinforce the status quo and, as a result, their programs reflect a narrow and specific definition of "greatness" in achieving cinematographic, "says Dr. Martha M. Lauzen, executive director of the Center for Women's Studies in In the end, this type of vision tunnel sub-genre impoverishes the universe of films that most of 39, between us see, read and talk. "

Meanwhile Toronto, whose dates overlap with Venice and often plays photos after their first Italian, will present a series of female images, with the latest works directors, including Claire Denis, Nico the Holofcener, Elizabeth Chomko, Stella Chopko, Stella Meghie, Nadine Labaki, Mia Hansen-Love and Eva Husson

For the other independent Venice festivals that take place in parallel with the Biennale, the future is now: the director Giorgio Gosetti He has also been actively involved in his Venice Days festival, which has earned him half of the eight films in his series directed by women.

And the Venice Critics' Week also features three of seven female-run competition movies. Last year, the numbers were even higher, with five of the seven movies directed by women.

While some might argue that these festivals are easier to accommodate female directors as they often feature early films or marginal films, it is important to note that these festivals also believe that they present the best films of the year, and do not believe that they simply fill in quotas.

Director of the Week Critic Giona A. Nazzaro, who has also been continuously active in The Recruitment of Diverse Voices, said last year of his lineup: "Women are moving faster. faster. "