Study: Why the Number of Male Movie Critics is Bad for Female Filmmakers
The study looked at film critics in print, broadcast and online outlets whose reviews also appeared on the Rotten Tomatoes website.
Across print, broadcast and online media, male film critics outnumber female critics by approximately two-to-one.
According to a new study by Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, that imbalance impacts the exposure and evaluation of both female-led films and films with women directors.
The “Thumbs Down: Film Critics and Gender, and Why it Matters” study looked at film critics in print, broadcast and online outlets whose reviews also appeared on the Rotten Tomatoes website. In combing through the reviews, Lauzen found men made up 68 percent of critics, while women made up just 32 percent.
By media outlet, men accounted for 70 percent of those writing for trade publications and general interest magazines and websites, 69 percent writing for a news website or wire service, 68 percent writing for newspapers and movie or entertainment publications.
By film genre, men also made up the majority across the board. In all, men accounted for 78 percent of those reviewing action and horror features, 75 percent of those reviewing animated features, 74 percent of those reviewing documentaries, 73 percent of those reviewing comedy/dramas, 70 percent of those reviewing dramas, 69 percent of those reviewing science fiction films, and 59 percent of those reviewing comedies.
The study found that when writing reviews about films with women directors, female reviewers were more likely than men to mention the name of the woman directing the film, and to use exclusively positive comments when talking about her skills, work, and vision. Similarly, 52 percent of the reviews written by women included only complimentary comments about the woman director, such as “master” or “impresario,” compared to only 38 percent of those written by men. In contrast, male writers were more likely than females to use exclusively complimentary words and phrases when talking about male directors. Additionally, 32 percent of reviews written by men and 23 percent of reviews written by women used only positive descriptors when talking about male directors.
“These gender imbalances matter because they impact the visibility of films with female protagonists and/or women directors, as well as the nature of reviews,” said Lauzen.
“Something as simple as the mention of a director’s name in a review, and labeling that individual as a ‘master’ of the filmmaking craft can help shape the narrative surrounding that director,” said Lauzen.
First conducted in 2007, “Thumbs Down” is the most comprehensive study of women’s representation and impact as film critics available. Over the years, the study has considered more than 16,000 reviews written by over 900 reviewers.
The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film is home to the most current and wide-ranging studies of women working on screen and as part of film and television crews.
