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Actors have a role to play to fight against gender inequality

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Actors have a role to play to fight against gender inequality

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Benedict Cumberbatch has suggested that actors like himself should boycott projects that do not pay woman the same amount as their male co-stars.

"Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism," says Cumberbatch in the new issue of Radio Times magazine.

"Look at your quotas. Ask what women are being paid, and say: 'If she's not paid the same as the men, I'm not doing it.'"

A fervent feminist, Cumberbatch - who takes the title role in new Sky Atlantic series Patrick Melrose - also said he would be using his profile, and his new production company, SunnyMarch, to champion more female-focused dramas.

"I'm proud that [partner] Adam [Ackland] and I are the only men in our production company; our next project is a female story with a female lens about motherhood, in a time of environmental disaster. If it's centred around my name, to get investors, then we can use that attention for a raft of female projects. Half the audience is female!"
This story was originally published on the 8th May Read the full interview with Benedict Cumberbatch in the new issue of Radio Times, on sale now

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Benedict Cumberbatch: I'll turn down a role if my female co-star isn't paid the same

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Benedict Cumberbatch has suggested that actors like himself should boycott projects that do not pay woman the same amount as their male co-stars. "Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism," says Cumberbatch in the new issue of Radio Times magazine. "Look at your quotas.

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Gender inequality in film - infographics

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Gender inequality in film - infographics

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11 times stars shut down sexist comments

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11 times stars shut down sexist comments

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11 Times Stars Shut Down Sexist Comments

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WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERSHIP!
*After sign up you will receive a welcome email detailing your membership benefits, and a membership card in the post.

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July 19th 2019, 7.00pm | Rough Trade, Nottingham

Rafiki (2018) by Wanuri Kahiu
BBFC 12A

Join us for the unofficial launch of Reel Equality Film Club's 6th (!!!) season, as we celebrate Pride month 🌈 with a very special screening of Rafiki, a beautiful Kenyan film that follows the journey of two young women finding love in a conservative society.

In collaboration with Rough Trade Nottingham, we've put together a night full of spark, fun and PRIDE! Stick around for:

✨DJ Set and live music performance (TBA) in collaboration with Women in Music ( https://m.facebook.com/WIMNotts/)
✨Live doodles by the incredible Dolly Loves Dallas ( https://m.facebook.com/dollylovesdallas/)
✨Pride themed cocktails 🍹
✨FREE doughnuts 🍩
✨Equalipops 🍭

We will announce the full line up of events and more details very soon, watch this space for updates!

🔜Tickets to go on sale
Full: £7 / Concession: £5

October 31st 2018, 6.00pm | Nottingham Contemporary

Reel Equality and The Screen at Nottingham Contemporary present an evening celebrating women in film and Halloween with a screening of Lady Macbeth as part of Nottingham Contemporary's ' Funny Girl! ' season. The film will be followed by talks from Christina Marie Newland, Dr. Fran Walsh and guest (TBC).

Join us for a screening of Lady Macbeth. Get tickets now for our Halloween special. This film tells a woman's story about overcoming oppression in the 19th century by using extreme actions.. Lady Macbeth is married off to a stranger in 19th Century Northern England. She begins to rebel against her confinement engaging in pleasure, an affair and murder.

Journalist, Christina Marie Newland will lead post film discussion with Clinical Psychologist Dr Fran Walsh and guest.
Remember it's Halloween!! We encourage fancy dress with a Gothic theme.
Buy tickets

August 29th 2018, 6.30pm | Nottingham Contemporary

Reel Equality and The Screen at Nottingham Contemporary present an evening exploring positive female sexual expression and identity through film, music, talks, diaries and a live comics wall.

Join us for a screening of The Diary of a Teenage Girl, introduced by feminist philosopher Katharine Jenkins from the University of Nottingham. Set in 1970s San Francisco, the film follows our 15-year-old heroine Minnie. Through her diary she chronicles her socially defying sexual exploits, creativity and attitude with humour, boldness and honesty.

After the film, comic artist Jade Sarson (For the Love of God, Marie!) will invite you to add to a comic collaboration "for all the girls when they are grown.. advice to our younger selves" with tunes from DJ Stiff Kittens.

Email your own words of advice to your younger self to events@nottinghmacontemporary.org and they will be displayed and used for the comic wall.

This event is supported by funds from the University of Nottingham and the National Lottery, led by Film Hub Midlands on behalf of the BFI UK Film Audience Network

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September 24th 2018, 6.30pm | The Canalhouse, Nottingham

Set in the Swiss countryside, Nora, a housewife and mother, previously unaffected by the social upheaval of the 60s, finds her own empowerment to campaign publicly for women's right to vote. She not only stands up for what she believes in, but incites a momentum gaining movement much to the aghast of the male community, including her own male-dominated family.

This event celebrates and examines the challenges of women's full and equal involvement in the democratic process, from women's liberation and protest movements of the 1960s, up to and including the present day.

Come along to the Canalhouse to celebrate women's rights in great company, with a free slice of pizza and popcorn, enjoy the sounds of musicians' Protest Songs, and a thought provoking panel discussing the current democratic process and its challenges for women. As well as the movie of course!

Panellists:
Joanne Ratcliffe Nottingham Women's Centre
Val Wood Nottingham Women's History Group
Nadia Whittome
Teresa Forde, Senior Lecturer in Film and Media Studies at the University of Derby
Zaynab Ashgar, Nottingham Muslim Women's Network

Jasmin Issaka Music will entertain you with some protest songs when you arrive at 6:30pm.

Reel Equality members receive concession rate tickets for this screening, please contact us if you would like to join ahead of buying a ticket.

This event is made possible by support from the University of Nottingham's Uprising: Spirit of 68 project, Film Hub
Midlands and Centenary Cities.
TICKETS
Tickets are being offered on a pay-as-you-can basis. Please select the ticket price that you can afford. There are also a limited number of free tickets available for those who would otherwise not be able to attend. Contact reel.equality@gmail.com if you would like to be issued one.

Friday 20th July, 18:30 FILM 20:30 | Broadway Cinema

Reel Equality Film Club joins femme-tastic DJs Fan Club Notts to celebrate the release of the fun Mamma Mia sequel at Broadway Cinema's opening night party.

Seeking guidance on how to handle her pregnancy, Sophie finds out more about her mother's past and how relationships forged in the past resonate in the present. Ten years after MAMMA MIA! THE MOVIE, this highly-anticipated sequel sees the return of the original cast and some new additions too including Lily James, Jeremy Irvine and Cher. Get ready to sing and dance, laugh and love all over again!

Join us for sweeties and free glitter services for those that want to get into the party spirit. To celebrate and support the forthcoming Nottingham Pride parade, we'll be raising awareness about representation of LGBT women in film and offering free rainbow cake pops for those going to the 20.30 screening.

Fancy dress strongly encouraged 😉

Buy tickets

Friday 22nd June, 6:30 - 9:30pm | New Art Exchange

Reel Equality Film Club presents Battle of the Sexes (12a): Film, Fizz and Strawberries

An exhilarating and entertaining tale based on the famous 1973 tennis match between women's world #1 Billie Jean King and ex-men's champ and self-proclaimed male chauvinist Bobby Riggs. The showdown had a major impact on sports politics that resonated far beyond the tennis court, and this fun but politically acute film is still relevant today. With mesmerizing star performances from Emma Stone and Steve Carell and a screenplay brought to you by the creators of Little Miss Sunshine and Slumdog Millionaire .

"a seductively enjoyable, smart and well-acted film based on the most deadly serious sporting contest of modern times" **** - Mark Kermode, The Guardian

To celebrate midsummer and the start of Wimbledon season, enjoy a free glass of prosecco and punnet of strawberries before the film, which will be introduced by local champions of This Girl Can and with a free summer-themed prize draw!

Reel Equality members receive an exclusive discount for this screening. Please contact us at reel.equality@gmail.com for details.

Buy tickets

March 24th 2018, 11am and 2.30pm | St Ann's Valley Centre, Nottingham

Join Equation's Reel Equality Film Club for a *free* weekend family film screening. Disney's smash hit animation Zootropolis is set in the chaos of an urban jungle, where all kind of animals live and work together - from the biggest elephant to the tiniest hamster. In this hilarious story, we follow the adventures of determined new bunny police officer Judy Hopps and a wiley con artist fox, as they try to uncover a secret plot. This uplifting tale is full of excitement and stunning visuals, making it a top-quality treat for adults and children alike. With free popcorn and (sugar-free!) squash. Craft and colouring activities to keep the little ones (aged 5+) entertained before and during the screening.

No need to book - just show up! First come, first served. Free to residents of St Ann's and surrounding areas. Reel Equality Film Club is open to all.
Brought to you by Equation in partnership with Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Homes.

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October 24th 2017, 2pm | St Ann's Valley Centre

Reel Equality Film Club presents a *free* family afternoon screening of Disney's smash hit Moana (PG). In this stunning animated adventure, we follow a brave teenager who sails off on a daring journey to save her people. Full of laughs, catchy songs, excitement and incredible visuals, this is a top-quality half-term treat for adults and children alike.

Enjoy free popcorn and squash. Wordsearch and colouring activities available to keep the littlest ones entertained.

No need to book - just show up! Free to residents of St Ann's and surrounding areas. Reel Equality Film Club is open to all.

Join the Facebook event

July 13th 2017, 6:00pm | Savoy Cinema and Crocus Cafe

The next Reel Equality screening is Pedro Almodóvar's stunning film 'Julieta'; a tender melodrama based on three Alice Munro short stories.

Join us on 13th July at the Savoy Cinema, followed by a post-film Summer party at Crocus Cafe with veggie tapas!

Julieta is getting ready to leave Spain behind and start a new chapter with her partner. Her plans are put on hold when, after a chance encounter, she hears news of her long-lost daughter, triggering a painful reminiscence of the tragic and life-defining moments of her past and renewing her hopes of reunion.

A vibrant, vivid depiction of the world of women, going deep into their interior lives, that explores the mystery of memory and the often unendurable power of love.

'Told in flashback over 30 years of guilt and grief, this tender melodrama based on three Alice Munro short stories is Pedro Almodóvar's best film in a decade' ★★★★★ Mark Kermode for The Guardian

Join us after the film for a delicious tapas dinner and Summer party at Lenton's hidden gem, the Crocus Cafe. Bargain combo film + feast tickets available! There will be sangria and fruit punch, a piñata, Latin music and much fun!

Book your tickets via Eventbrite now.

Learn more

Women's Media Center The Representation Project The Bechdel Test Movie List Bitch Flicks

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WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERSHIP! *After sign up you will receive a welcome email detailing your membership benefits, and a membership card in the post. Sign Up July 19th 2019, 7.00pm | Rough Trade, Nottingham Rafiki (2018) by Wanuri Kahiu BBFC 12A Join us for the unofficial launch of Reel Equality Film Club's 6th (!!!)

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"Boys have role models, why shouldn't we?"

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"Boys have role models, why shouldn't we?"

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There's a scene in the new film Captain Marvel in which the titular Captain, played by Brie Larson, is facing certain adversity. To draw strength, she experiences a flashback to all the times in her life when she was knocked down and told to quit because, well, she was just a girl.

You can also see the moment in a teaser trailer, which shows the young character getting knocked down over and over again, only to turn and give the camera that defiant superhero stare: a look that says, no matter how big the odds stacked against the character, they will overcome them. It's an image we've all seen before, but for such a cliché, it's a scene we don't see given enough to women onscreen, let alone female superheroes.

"You don't often see a movie in general with such a strong female lead, so seeing that really hit home for me," says Saara Chaudry, 14, a contributor to CBC Kids News who saw an advance screening of Captain Marvel. "It made me feel warm, knowing that women were being represented in this light, but at the same time it spoke to personal experiences that I've had. It had me on the edge of my seat really just thinking about every time that I've been knocked down."

That sentiment was certainly intentional, according to Anna Boden, who co-wrote the film with Ryan Fleck. "As she gets to know herself and embrace what makes her her, she really achieves her true power," Boden told the New York Times, of the character. "Part of that means rejecting the voices of people who tell her she's not strong enough and doesn't belong. I feel like a lot of people will be able to relate to that, particularly women."

Captain Marvel is the 21st movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and yet is only the first film to be centred around a female superhero. DC Entertainment beat Marvel to the punch by two years with Wonder Woman, the Gal Gadot-starring box office and critical juggernaut that is still one of the top-grossing films to come from the DC Universe (a sequel is already slotted for 2020).

Two films in two years may not seem like a lot - it's not - but to put it into perspective, it was only in 2015 that a leaked email from Marvel chairman Isaac Perlmutter revealed his distaste for female superhero films, citing Supergirl (1984), Catwoman (2004) and Elektra (2005), blaming them for poor box-office performances and calling them a "disaster."

Wonder Woman' s success certainly helped to open the door a crack, but the fact is, in the 10-plus years that we've been immersed in the current superhero boom, the lack of films centred on female characters has had a negative effect on young women.

SuperPowering Girls

In a study published last year called " SuperPowering Girls," conducted by the Women's Media Center and BBC America, researchers found that representation on film matters, especially when it comes to superheroes. Seeing female superheroes makes girls feel more "strong, brave, confident, inspired, positive and motivated," it states. Almost 2,500 participants were surveyed, male and female, including kids between the ages of 10 and 19 and parents of children aged five to nine, who answered on behalf of their children.

Among young boys, almost half (49 per cent) cited male sci-fi/supeheroes as a top role model. For girls, that number dropped to just 21 per cent. And yet, outside of the family, parents of young girls said they were most likely to look to superheroes as role models, with Wonder Woman being the top choice for girls, followed by Supergirl. A full 65 per cent of girls said there were simply not enough female superheroes. In fact, one question that both boys and girls overwhelmingly agreed on was that there needs to be more female heroes.

Big heroes, small screens

While the big screen has been slow to give female heroes their spotlight, it's a different story on the small screen. DC's Supergirl has been on the air since 2015, and is currently in its fourth season on the CW Network. Batwoman, another CW show, is also in the works, while Marvel's Jessica Jones will see its third and final series air on Netflix this year.

While all those shows appeal to a decidedly older audience - anywhere from young adult to adult - an animated series geared towards even younger fans has been successfully running on YouTube since 2015. DC Super Hero Girls features short episodes, often under five minutes, focused on the young lives of various female heroes, such as Wonder Woman, Batgirl and Supergirl, as they navigate their way through school. On March 8, DC Super Hero Girls will relaunch as a full-length series on the Cartoon Network, created by Lauren Faust ( My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, The Powerpuff Girls).

Tara Strong, who was born in Toronto but lives in Los Angeles, has been a voice actor on the show since the beginning, and will voice Batgirl and Harley Quinn for the series relaunch.

"I was always drawn to these strong female characters, so it feels like such an honour to be able to play them and inspire young girls and boys," she says. "These are super strong characters that are smart and conscientious and care about friendships and, you know, use their brains."

I remember loving the Wonder Woman show with Lynda Carter, I loved the Wonder Twins cartoon, and I remember that what we had was good, but it's so nice to have what we have now. - Tara Strong, voice actor for DC Super Hero Girls

Strong says that representation of female heroes has come a long way since she was a kid, and points to the current boom as having a positive effect on young fans.

"I remember loving the Wonder Woman show with Lynda Carter, I loved The Wonder Twins cartoon, and I remember that what we had was good, but it's so nice to have what we have now," she says. "It's a huge improvement, especially on the female empowered characters."

Strong adds that female superheroes have "become more sophisticated" over the years, and "as a whole been given a lot more to do, more powers, more voice in everything that they're doing. I think it's just sort of how the times have changed. DC has always been pretty conscientious about changing with those times."

While DC was certainly the first to give more screen time to prominent female heroes, if Captain Marvel is also a success, we can only expect to see more from that camp as well. Judging by future projects, the studio already seems to be banking on female heroes for its post Avengers: End Game rollout, hiring director Cate Shortland to helm a long-rumoured standalone movie for Scarlett Johansson's character Black Widow, which includes a script from Jac Schaeffer, one of the women on the writing team for Captain Marvel.

For young women like Chaudry, it couldn't be soon enough.

"Young boys have role models, why shouldn't we?" she says. "We need to keep talking about it and keep making change and keep making movies that have strong female leads so girls my age and girls younger than me will see them onscreen and emulate their characteristics. Just like boys do with Superman and Batman."

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'Boys have role models, why shouldn't we?' How female superheroes like Captain Marvel are filling a void | CBC Radio

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There's a scene in the new film Captain Marvel in which the titular Captain, played by Brie Larson, is facing certain adversity. To draw strength, she experiences a flashback to all the times in her life when she was knocked down and told to quit because, well, she was just a girl.

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Actor Terry Crews on the #MeToo Movement

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Actor Terry Crews on the #MeToo Movement

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Actor Terry Crews On #MeToo Movement: 'The Moment You Say 'No More,' You’re An Activist'

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Serena Williams Loss Highlights Double Standards WOC Face Everywhere

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BONDI HIPSTERS - Discuss Gender Equality with Amy Schumer and Bill Hader