The film festival sector and its networked structures of gender inequality

Abstract The global film industry is shaped by gender inequality. Women are structurally underrepresented in professional roles that include high levels of creative and economic decision-making power, such as directors, writers, producers. In our study, we ask to what extent the festival sector, a prestigious sub-field industry, structured biases. To address this question, conceptualize sector one-mode network consisting festivals connected through screening same film, two-mode films festivals. composition core teams (incl. producers) varies gender. While some made mixed teams, others women-only or men-only teams. We use data on 1323 circulate among 1523 apply analysis describe disentangle structural facets underlie persistent inequality sector. first step, analyze circulation with varying compositions, occupy broker positions network. second different compositions equally distributed across overall landscape. For find much sparser comparison also majority obtaining important network, has not signed 5050 × 2020 Gender Parity Pledge, which policy implications. average screened at more compared degree distribution skewed indicating pronounced hit dynamic.