A new partnership between Turner Classic Movies and Women in Film has launched to highlight the recent hot-button issue of gender inequality in the industry.
According to Deadline, a multi-year deal will aim to feature the disparities and celebrate the success of women already working in showbiz.
“The issue of gender inequality in the film industry is both timely and immensely important to shine a light on,” said TCM’s general manager Jennifer Dorian. “We’re thrilled to partner with such a well-respected organization as Women in Film in order to address and promote the empowerment of women in our industry.”
TCM has designated the month of October for the next three years to broadcast films helmed by female industry icons, and to provide coverage on the historical and current states of women in the film industry.
The program initiative plans to further analyze gender inequality in film by tackling pro-social elements through research, which is designed to help female filmmakers advance their careers.
Women in Film in Los Angeles has also stepped in to offer its research and additional resources.
“For years, I have dreamed of having a network reach out to our organization with a true interest in our advocacy and the ability to collaborate on programming that will reach audiences everywhere,” said WIF President Cathy Schulman.
In collaboration with the Sundance Institute, WIF released results of a study the groups conducted in April, which revealed men directors outnumbered their female counterparts by 23-to-1 in the 1,300 top-grossing films since 2002.
Gender stereotyping was found to be a main reason for the disparity, according to the study.