Telefilm Canada’s executive director and CEO Julie Roy (pictured) says the organization’s data on gender parity presents “a very different narrative” from a recent study claiming that Canada’s screen sector is nearly 200 years away from achieving gender equity.

The study, Re-Framing the Picture, was published by the Konrad Wolf Film University of Babelsberg earlier this month. It assessed the gender equity policies of the screen sectors in Germany, the U.K., and Canada, and contained data on the gender makeup of key creatives behind films supported by Eurimages Fund between 2010 to 2020.

Among its key claims was that Canada was on a trajectory to achieve gender equity in 2215. In comparison, Germany would achieve it in 2041, and the U.K. in 2085.

In a statement to Playback Daily, Roy said Telefilm has “undergone a significant transformation” in the last six years, “embracing and implementing industry feedback, and best practices, on important matters relating to equity, diversity and inclusion.”

“Contrary to recent claims published in the research study Re-Framing the Picture, our available data presents factual statistics on the projects Telefilm has supported over the years, revealing a very different narrative. We have also adopted a rigorous and respectful data collection methodology, based on self-identification, and it is of utmost importance that we adhere to these standards,” she continued.

According to Telefilm’s 2020-21 annual report, 70% of projects the organization has funded during the fiscal year “had at least one woman in a key creative role,” with 54% including at least two women in creative roles.

The report said women held a directing role in 54% of films funded during the fiscal year, representing 46% of its overall investment. Similarly, 54% of films reported women in a writing role, sharing 47% of investments. The percentage of producing roles hit 50%, with a 41% of the investment share.

The figures have fluctuated over the years. In its 2022-23 annual report, Telefilm said 51% of films had a woman in a screenwriter role, with 43% of its total investment; the percentage of films with women directors came to 43% with 34% of its investment; and 41% for women producers, with 40% of its total investments.

The data does not capture films not funded by Telefilm, while the Re-Framing the Picture study includes both non-funded and funded Telefilm projects.

Dr. Skadi Loist, lead researcher on the study, issued a statement to Playback noting that “the findings from this method cannot be used for predictions about gender equity in the film or screen industry generally, which obviously comprises a multitude of other roles and other productions as well.”

“Secondly, as we point out throughout the report, policy activity and attention to gender equity are increasing. From 2014 onwards there is a marked rise in the volume of gender equity policies, and also in the complexity of gender equity issues these policies recognise and address,” Loist continued, adding that the study “highlights a positive connection between Telefilm Canada’s interventions and progress towards gender equity.”

Loist said the report represents “three years of intensive, rigorous research by a large team” and “draws on data for more than 12,000 films, more than 54,000 key creatives and more than 400 equity policies.” The participating organizations include the University of Glasgow, the University of Alberta, the University of Rostock, and Deakin University.

The full statement from Roy:

Over the past six years, Telefilm has undergone a significant transformation, embracing and implementing industry feedback, and best practices, on important matters relating to equity, diversity and inclusion – which encompasses our work on gender parity, environmental sustainability, supporting emerging filmmakers, and greater transparency through data collection reporting. The evolution of Telefilm, and the progress of the audiovisual sector in Canada, stem from collaborative efforts with industry partners from not only within our country but also extending well beyond our borders.

Since initiating a more inclusive approach to our programs, which started the collecting of data on gender parity in 2017, Telefilm has witnessed a remarkable shift, culminating in achieving parity in funded projects during the fiscal year 2020-2021. Subsequent annual reports continue to demonstrate that gender parity zones are reached. As Telefilm’s data collection evolved in recent years, we started paying close attention to intersectional identities, notably with regard to the situation of Black Women and Women of Colour, and that of Indigenous Women.

Contrary to recent claims published in the research study Re-Framing the Picture, our available data presents factual statistics on the projects Telefilm has supported over the years, revealing a very different narrative. We have also adopted a rigorous and respectful data collection methodology, based on self-identification, and it is of utmost importance that we adhere to these standards.

Attaining gender parity, in the projects we fund, serves as a starting point in normalizing gender equity within our industry. As Telefilm establishes a new strategic plan for the next three years, the commitment to working through the lenses of equity, diversity, inclusion and sustainability remains.

Photo courtesy of Telefilm Canada