Breaking Barriers: The Rise of Female Filmmakers

The documentary “Maestra” follows several conductors leading up to a charged competition, incorporating interviews in the United States, France, Poland, and Greece. Director Catherine Murphy Contreras faced difficulty finding female workers in some of those places. Despite pressure to fill positions with men due to the tight budget and schedule, she held firm to her quota, resulting in a female-led crew. The project’s success is credited to this crew and the intimacy they were able to create with their subjects, who shared stories of discrimination, child abuse, and insecurity. Contreras believes that diverse directors enable a broader range of storytelling, which lies at the heart of filmmaking. Her next project centers on a female protagonist who triumphs in a context different from classical music, but she remains committed to hiring an inclusive production staff to maintain the same ideals.

Academic researcher Dr. Stacy Smith is a leading proponent of equity in the film industry and advocates that hiring diverse women in decision-making positions is important not only for the careers of female filmmakers but also for the experiences of audiences. Hiring a female director increases the likelihood of female-driven storylines, inclusion of women over 40 in films, more women behind the camera and in below-the-line crew positions.