Camerimage Festival Jury Says ‘We Wholeheartedly Support’ Gender ‘Inclusivity’ After Uproar Over CEO’s Comments About Women
The Camerimage Festival jury, made up up Cate Blanchett, Anna Higgs, Sandy Powell, Anthony Dod Mantle, Rodrigo Prieto, Lukasz Zal and Jolanta Dylewska, have issued a statement on Instagram following comments about gender representation at the festival by its CEO Marek Zydowicz. “We wholeheartedly support the necessary shift towards genuine inclusivity, and festivals can be a great forum for engaging in such conversations and championing positive change,” the group said.
The statement reads in full, “As jury members of the Main Competition at this year’s Camerimage Festival in Poland, we welcome debate regarding gender representation in cinematography.”
“While we will be focussed on the task we have the great privilege to have been invited to take on — to watch and celebrate the work of cinematographers — we look forward to being part of meaningful discussions with our peers at the festival about greater inclusion and recognition of excellence in all its forms in our industry. We wholeheartedly support the necessary shift towards genuine inclusivity, and festivals can be a great forum for engaging in such conversations and championing positive change,” the statement concluded.
Zydowicz came under fire for a misogynistic op-ed in the latest issue of Cinematography World magazine in which he suggested that efforts at gender inclusion were elevating inferior films.
“The film industry is undergoing rapid changes, affecting the cinematic image, its content and aesthetics,” he wrote. “One of the most significant changes is the growing recognition of female cinematographers and directors. This evolution is crucial as it rectifies the obvious injustice present in societal development.”
He continued, “However, it also raises a question: Can the pursuit of change exclude what is good? Can we sacrifice works and artists with outstanding artistic achievements solely to make room for mediocre film production?”
British director Steve McQueen, who was expected to open the festival with “Blitz,” dropped out of the night in response. “Having read Marek Zydowicz’s op-ed concerning female cinematographers, I have decided not to attend the opening night presentation of my film ‘Blitz’ this weekend,” he said in a statement.
“Although he has issued an apology, I cannot get past what I consider deeply offensive words. I have enormous respect for cinematographers of all genders including women, and believe we have to do and demand better to make room for everyone at the table.”
