THE IRISH FILM Board (IFB) has announced a series of new funding opportunities that it says will go towards achieving “gender parity” in the Irish film industry.
Budding female filmmakers will be able to avail of funding of up to €400,000 to produce a feature film, with an aim to achieve an equal level of funding for male and female applicants across a range of projects.
Dr Annie Doona, chair of the Irish Film Board, said that the direct funding offers will “incentivise an increased number of applications from female-led talent and will support, empower and elevate Irish female talent working within the industry”.
Unconscious bias
In December 2015, the film board announced plans to address the under-representation of women in Irish film.
Upon launching its plan, it noted that, between 2010 and 2015:
It says that significant progress has been made since then, with 70% of IFB-funded short films to premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh this week having female directors attached.
Earlier this year, unconscious bias training was mooted as a way of making the film industry here more diverse.
Unconscious bias is defined, by the University of Warwick, as “a bias that we are unaware of, and which happens outside of our control”. It says that it causes our brain to make quick judgements and assessments of people and situations, influenced by our background, cultural environment and personal experiences.
Donna told TheJournal.ie that this was something the IFB was seriously considering. She said: “We have talked a lot in the board – which is 50/50 male and female – we’ve talked a lot about unconscious bias and [Deputy Chief Executive] Teresa McGrane in particular has been talking to companies who deliver unconscious bias training and saying we could get those guys in to work… with the industry.”
Achieving parity
To follow on the aim of achieving 50/50 funding provision for men and women in the industry, the IFB is rolling out this new series of funding initiatives aimed at women.
They are:
Doona said: “These initiatives represent the continued commitment of the IFB to achieve gender parity within the film, television and animation sector.
We are of the view that whilst a lot has been achieved in developing the careers of female writers and directors, not enough has been achieved in relation to increasing the actual funding applications received by the IFB, with female talent attached. 50/50 parity of funding remains our goal.
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