Gender in the Austrian Film Industry

Abstract

The Austrian Film Gender Report (AFGR), 2012–2016, is the first comprehensive, quantitative study on gender relations in the Austrian film industry. The AFGR was based on a five-year period of data elicitation. Four key areas of the film industry were investigated by gender effects: representation of women off screen (fundings, jobs, payments, etc.), gender representation on screen, visibility at Austrian film festivals (programming, juries, awards), and gender structures in film education. All results showed clear gender imbalances: less financial subsidies awarded to women; less jobs allocated to women together with additional gender pay gaps; less representation at festivals; a variety of gender stereotypes and sexualized violence against women in feature films; and underrepresentation of female teachers at the film school. Thus, the undeniable data serve to call for political interventions and substantive measures in all areas in order to achieve gender equality and enable women to bring in their competences in the film industry. One measure by the Austrian Film Institute was arranged meanwhile, and further innovative initiatives are presented.