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Key Takeaways:
- Black women, Indigenous women, and women of color in Canada are facing challenges in finding work and leadership roles in the film and TV production sector.
- The Women in View’s On Screen 2023 report reveals that progress in achieving racial representation in hiring practices has been compromised in recent years.
- While gender equality has improved, the representation of Black and Indigenous women in the industry remains low.
- Data collection and measurement of investment and work for underrepresented communities in Canada are insufficient.
- Broadcasters that maintained parity commitments during 2020 and 2021 primarily employed white women.
Challenges for Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color in Canadian Film and TV Industry
Black women, Indigenous women, and women of color are facing significant challenges in finding employment and leadership opportunities in the Canadian film and TV production sector, according to the Women in View’s On Screen 2023 report. Despite efforts made by local film and TV funders to promote diversity and inclusion, progress in achieving racial representation in hiring practices has been compromised in recent years.
The report highlights that women, particularly those from marginalized communities, have fallen behind in levels of participation compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Stakeholders’ commitments to parity and diversity seemed to be wavering in 2020 and 2021, hindering the momentum that was building in previous years.
While the Canadian industry has made strides in achieving gender equality, the progress for Black and Indigenous women has been limited. The industry has yet to fully embrace the wide-ranging objectives of the Black Lives Matter movement, even after the inflection point caused by George Floyd’s murder, which called for transformation and modernization in Canadian film and TV.
Lack of Data and Measurement
Despite the introduction of dedicated funds and improved data collection, the Women in View researchers caution that the industry still falls short in measuring investment and work for underrepresented communities. Structural inequalities and systemic barriers faced by women and gender diverse creatives, particularly Indigenous, Black, and people of color, have not been fully revealed. Without accurate measurement and data collection, sustainable industry change becomes more challenging to achieve.
Disproportionate Impact
The Women in View report reveals that broadcasters who kept up with their parity commitments in 2020 and 2021 primarily employed white women. As a result, losses in representation disproportionately affected Indigenous women, Black women, and women of color. On the other hand, men saw their share of investment in local film and TV projects increase from 52% in 2019 to 58% in 2020 and 2021.
Black women had the lowest representation across all key roles in the industry, with fewer opportunities to lead projects and receive funding. The report highlights their isolation as the least likely creatives to occupy key creative roles on projects not led by Black women.
The findings of the Women in View’s report shed light on the ongoing challenges faced by Black women, Indigenous women, and women of color in the Canadian film and TV industry. More comprehensive data collection and concerted efforts towards diversity and inclusion are needed to address the underrepresentation and create equal opportunities for all.