Toronto Film Festival Organizers Commit to Gender Parity in Their Ranks
Festival will also disclose gender and racial makeup of filmmakers
Matt Donnelly | September 8, 2018 @ 6:33 AM
Last Updated: September 8, 2018 @ 6:54 AM
The Toronto International Film Festival has pledged to achieve gender parity on its board of directors and within executive ranks, the organization announced on Saturday.
Festival Artistic Director Cameron Bailey signed the statement at a media event, pledging not only to increase the visibility and power of women but also to disclose key demographic data.
TIFF has agreed to share the “gender and race of the directors of all the films submitted … and when applicable, to also compile all members of the cast and crew mentioned in the registration process of the film,” a document obtained by TheWrap said.
They’ll also share “gender and race of executive boards and/or boards of directors and to commit to a schedule to achieve parity in these bodies.” Specifics around schedule timing was not immediately available.
In August, just ahead of the 2018 program, TIFF named Joana Vicente as executive director and co-head of the festival.
The pledge preceded a planned rally by the TIFF initiative Share Her Journey, a program designed to increase opportunities for women in the film industry.
The gender parity pledge is one of a number of gender-parity commitments from major industry leaders, though festivals have been criticized for not extending their pledge to equally represent female filmmakers in the selection of films they show to audiences.
TIFF will offer its first report on its progress at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, organizers said.
Read the full pledge points:
To compile statistics of gender and race of the directors of all the films submitted to selection, and when applicable, to also compile all members of the cast and crew mentioned in the registration process of the film.
To make public the gender and race of all the members of selection committees and programmers as well as all programming consultants.
To make public the gender and race of executive boards and/or boards of directors and to commit to a schedule to achieve parity in these bodies.
The festival commits to giving a full update to 5050×2020 in six months and also to make public their progress during next year’s festival.
5050×2020 will be compiling the list of participating festivals and will share it widely. We will also release a first report at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
12 Hottest Toronto Movies for Sale, From 'Wild Rose' to 'Vox Lux' (Photos)
Natalie Portman's "Vox Lux," Robert Pattinson's "High Life" and Kristen Stewart's "Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy" are just a few hot sales titles heading to the Toronto International Film Festival this week.
"Wild Rose" [UTA]
"Wild Rose" was the first title numerous industry players called their most anticipated movie of the festival. It follows a young musician from Glasgow who wants to become a star in Nashville. Julie Walters and Jessie Buckley star in the Tom Harper-directed film.
TIFF
"Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" [Voltage]
Zac Efron stars as one of America's most notorious serial killers, Ted Bundy, alongside Lily Collins, Jim Parsons and Kaya Scodelario. While it's not screening in competition, one major buyer told TheWrap, producers are screening the film outside the festival for potential suitors.
Getty Images; FBI
"High Life" [CAA]
Robert Pattinson has been quietly living in a post-“Twilight” renaissance for a few years now, with breakout performances in “Good Time” and “The Lost City of Z.” Which makes a film like Claire Denis' “High Life” all the more curious given how under-the-radar it’s been. Prospective buyers are intrigued by the cast (led by Pattinson) and the story: A group of criminals sent to space under dubious circumstances.
BFI Film Fund
"The Wedding Guest" [Endeavor Content/UTA]
Following his Oscar-nominated performance in "Lion," Dev Patel is back in "The Wedding Guest," which follows a man on a journey through India and Pakistan. Michael Winterbottom wrote and directed.
Revolution Films
"American Woman" [Endeavor Content]
Sienna Miller plays a woman who raises her young grandson after her daughter goes missing. With Christina Hendricks and Aaron Paul also is the cast, "American Woman" is sure to attract buyers.
Scott Free Productions
"Her Smell" [Endeavor Content]
Elisabeth Moss shines as Becky Something, a frontwoman for a '90s rock band, in a movie that also stars Amber Heard, Cara Delevingne, Virginia Madsen, Dan Stevens and Ashley Benson. Where are our "Handmaid's Tale" fans at?
Bow and Arrow Entertainment
"Vox Lux" [Endeavor Content]
In 2016, TheWrap exclusively reported that Brady Corbet's follow-up to his award-winning directorial debut, “The Childhood of a Leader," would be "Vox Lux." Described as “a 21st century story of Celeste, a pop star who comes to success as a result of unusual circumstances," the film stars Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe and Jennifer Ehle. It already premiered at the Venice Film Festival to stellar reviews -- currently, it is rated 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Venice Film Festival
"The Weekend" [UTA]
"Everything Everything" director Stella Meghie returns to TIFF with this blissful rom-com that stars "SNL" alum Sasheer Zamata. It follows a comedian who gets romantically entangled with three other people during a weekend getaway.
Homegrown Pictures
"A Million Little Pieces" [CAA]
In Sam Taylor-Johnson's first movie since "Fifty Shades of Grey," her husband Aaron Johnson stars alongside Charlie Hunnam and Billy Bob Thornton in an adaptation of James Frey's book that was originally marketed as a "memoir" of addiction but turned out to be heavily fictionalized.
"The Death & Life of John F. Donovan" [CAA]
This film is the long-awaited English-language debut by international film festival l'enfant terrible Xavier Dolan, as well as an anticipated leading man debut by "Game of Thrones" star Kit Harington. The A-list cast also includes Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Thandie Newton, Jacob Tremblay and Ben Schnetzer.
Warp Films
"Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy" [CAA]
If you think Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern isn't the dream casting of the century, what actually is wrong with you? Justin Kelly directs the film based on the true story of a middle-aged woman who wrote novels under the guise of a teenage boy named JT LeRoy -- while her sister-in-law (Stewart) made public appearances as the author.
LBI Entertainment
"American Dharma" [Endeavor Content]
"Fog of War" and "Gates of Heaven" director Errol Morris is back with "American Dharma," which is a documentary portraying controversial Breitbart editor and former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
TIFF
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Toronto film market has awards bait, a Steve Bannon doc and lots of Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman's "Vox Lux," Robert Pattinson's "High Life" and Kristen Stewart's "Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy" are just a few hot sales titles heading to the Toronto International Film Festival this week.