American actress and director Kristen Stewart has delivered a scathing criticism of how Hollywood continues to treat female filmmakers after the MeToo movement, calling the current state of the film industry a “painful regression.”
“After the MeToo movement, it seemed possible that stories written by women and about women would finally receive the attention they deserve; that we would be allowed, even encouraged, to express ourselves and share our collective experiences without filters,” Stewart said.
“However, what I see now is a constant struggle at every step whenever content is perceived as too dark or too taboo. The honesty with which women present their experiences often provokes disgust and rejection,” she continued.
The actress emphasized that these stories are real and deserve to be told authentically.
“We can talk about the pay gap and measure inequality in many ways, but we cannot silence the violence and anger it causes. And yet, I could eat this podium with a damn fork and knife. I am very angry,” she added with irony.
During a dinner in Los Angeles, which gathered well-known names such as Tessa Thompson, Sarah Paulson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Patty Jenkins, Diane Warren, and Katy O’Brian, Stewart said she was shocked by how few women managed to direct films in the past year.
“The regression from a brief moment of progress is devastating. So few films were made by women last year. We need more spaces like this, more gatherings for women in our industry,” she said.
“We feel like there are many of us here tonight, but in reality, there aren’t. It’s not our fault. Our industry is in a state of emergency. The last thing I want is to lose this celebration under the rubble of the system. We must be proud of ourselves and allow each other to feel genuine gratitude for our work,” the actress said.
At the end of her speech, Stewart called on women in the industry to maintain solidarity and refuse to let the system use them as symbols of equality without truly changing the power structure in Hollywood.
“I am grateful for you, but not for the boys’ club business model that wants to spend time with us while draining our resources and undervaluing our perspectives. Let’s start minting our own currency,” she concluded, earning long applause.
