Women in Front of and Behind the Camera. Analysis of the Representation of Society in Contemporary Spanish Cinema

Abstract

Despite its advances in recent years, most studies have observed a gender gap in Spanish cinema, both in the lack of relevance of female directors and in the underrepresentation and stereotyping of female characters. Using a content analysis of 3029 characters from 129 Spanish movies of the 21^st Century, this investigation has confirmed that female characters are far less common than male ones, their narrative objectives are less developed, they are more frequently sexualized, whereas male characters are more associated with violent behaviours. These differences decrease in movies directed by women, who tend to include more women, and more diverse characters beyond middle- or high-class educated hetero white Spanish male adults. Female characters in movies directed by women are less commonly sexualized and the differences with male ones are smaller in all aspects.