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Of the 21 films vying for the Palme d'Or, only
three are directed by women, the same as last year's festival
which happened before the sexual abuse and harassment
allegations that gave birth to a global campaign to get greater
female participation in the film business.
When asked whether she was concerned that there were only three
female-helmed movies, Blanchett told a news conference:
"A few years ago there were only two!"
"Is (MeToo) going to have a direct impact upon the films in
competition this year, six, nine months on? Not specifically.
There are several women in competition but they are not there
because of their gender, they are there for the quality of their
work."
She added: "Would I like to see more women in competition?
Absolutely. Do I expect and hope that’s going to happen in the
future? I hope so."
But, as if to show how women must not be overlooked in cinema,
she had a barbed response to a reporter who asked the
"filmmakers" - meaning the directors, rather than actors - on
the jury to answer "why are movies still important?"
"Actresses: don’t answer that because you have no idea how to
answer that question!" Blanchett said with a raised eyebrow to
fellow jury members Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart (an actress
who has recently moved into directing).
The news conference was the last time the five-women, four-men
jury will speak to the media until the end of the fortnight of
movie screenings which begins on Tuesday with "Everybody Knows",
a Spanish-language drama starring Penelpo Cruz and Javier Bardem,
written and directed by the Iranian Asghar Farhadi.
Another Iranian with a movie in competition, Jafar Panahi, will
be unable to attend the festival as he is officially banned from
film-making by his government. Russian director Kirill
Serebrennikov will also be absent as he is under house arrest in
Russia on charges his supporters say are politically motivated.
Blanchett, who called their plight "a terrible situation" was
asked it that would alter the way their films are judged.
"It’s not a political film festival," she replied, insisting
that all films will be judged solely on their artistic merits.
"This is not the Nobel Peace Prize, it's the Palme d'Or." The
festival runs from May 8 to May 19.
(Reporting by Robin Pomeroy; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
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