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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Friday 18 august 2023

Progress toward parity for women on movie screens has stalled

By JAKE COYLE But other metrics show that
AP Film Writer the film industry regressed in
NEW YORK (AP) — A new some areas of diversity dur-
study on inclusion in film ing the pandemic. In 2022,
shows just how much of a the top grossing movies
rarity “Barbie” is. For ev- featured 31% of leads from
ery woman as a speak- underrepresented ethnic
ing character in the most groups, down from 37% in
popular films of 2022, there 2021. Out of those 100 2020
were more than two men, movies, 46 didn’t include a
according to report by Uni- Latino speaking character.
versity of Southern Califor- “These trends suggest that
nia’s Annenberg Inclusion any improvement for peo-
Initiative. ple from underrepresented
The USC report, published racial/ethnic groups is lim-
Thursday, found that 34.6% ited,” said Smith. “While it is
of speaking parts were fe- This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Margot Robbie in a scene from “Barbie.” encouraging to see chang-
male in the top 100 box-of- Associated Press es for leading characters
fice hits of last year. The An- and for the Asian commu-
nenberg Inclusion Initiative ingful change for girls and which has made $1.2 billion more than double the rate nity, our data on invisibility
has been annually tracking women,” said Stacy L. worldwide since opening of 2007 (20%). suggests that there is still
that and many other met- Smith, founder and director last month and domestical- Speaking characters from much more to be done to
rics since 2007. of the Inclusion Initiative, in ly has become the highest underrepresented ethnic ensure that the diversity
And in its first such study in a statement. “The lack of grossing movie ever from groups have also made that exists in reality is por-
three years, USC research- progress is particularly dis- a female filmmaker. Last sizable gains. In 2022, trayed on screen.”
ers found that in many ar- appointing following de- year, one in 10 of the big- Black, Hispanic, Asian and Of the top 100 films in 2022,
eas, progress toward parity cades of activism and ad- gest box-office films were other non-white minori- just 2.1% of speaking char-
on screen has stalled since vocacy.” directed by women, down ties accounted for 38.3% acters were LGBTQ+ rough-
the pandemic and in some In analyzing the top films from record rates in 2019, of speaking characters, ly the same number as a
respects hasn’t changed in ticket sales, the report 2020 and 2021. nearly matching the U.S. decade ago.
all that much since 14 years doesn’t include the large Some findings in the study population percentage of Of the 100 films, 72 didn’t
ago. In 2019, 34% of speak- amount of films produced point to progress in inclu- 41%. Most notably, Asian feature a single LGBTQ+
ing characters were fe- for streaming platforms and sivity on screen. There are characters have gone from character. Only one was
male. In 2008, it was 32.8%. smaller releases. But it does more female leading or 3.4% of characters in 2007 nonbinary.
“It is clear that the enter- offer a snapshot of how Hol- co-leading roles in the top to 15.9% last year, a movie The number of characters
tainment industry has little lywood is evolving or not. grossing movies than ever. year that culminated with with disabilities has also
desire or motivation to im- And it comes on the heels Some 44% of such lead the best picture win for “Ev- flatlined. In 2022, 1.9% of
prove casting processes in of the enormous success of roles were girls or women in erything Everywhere All at speaking characters were
a way that creates mean- Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” 2022, a historical high and Once.” depicted with a disability.q

Carlos Vives and Juanes combine forces for ‘Las Mujeres’

By LESLIE AMBRIZ and MA- officially collaborated for to his breakthrough album, music, but a new genera- he says.
RIA SHERMAN the first time to remake the 1993’s “Clásicos de la Pro- tion has also arrived. It’s They attempted to record
Associated Press Carlos Huertas’ vallenato vincia” both gorgeous col- as if our Colombian music a cover of “Las Mujeres”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Co- classic, “Las Mujeres.” lections of vallenato stan- stopped being part of a together a few years back,
lombian superstars Carlos Vives originally covered the dards amped up with the museum to become a part but the timing didn’t work
Vives and Juanes have song in 2009 on the sequel Grammy-award winner’s of reality. Contemporary, out. But it was always go-
idiosyncratic pop flair. with new sounds and with ing to happen. “One day,
To celebrate the 30th an- new energy,” says Vives. when we were making the
niversary of the first install- “And that, for me, is what music video, I said... ‘I had
ment and Vives’ dedica- Juanes represents as a to do this song with you be-
tion to modernizing clas- part of the new Colombian fore I die, because this had
sic Colombian sounds he sound. Juanes arrived on to happen, and it gives me
teamed up with Juanes, the scene to innovate.” a lot of joy to finally be able
the rockstar and fellow It goes both ways. Thirty to be on a song with Car-
countryman who’s known years ago, Juanes saw los,” says Juanes.
for the same kind of sonic Vives in concert several The music video for the
innovation. Their take on times, but recalls one par- remake also feels particu-
“Las Mujeres” evolves the ticularly moving perfor- larly modern, showcasing
sound and music video for mance in Medellín around women of various ages,
a 2023 audience. “Clásicos de la Provincia.” ethnicities, and profes-
Vives views it as an oppor- “I experienced how he was sions a celebratory image
tunity to bring three gen- able to mix the element of of the diversity present in
This combination of photos shows, from left, Juanes with the erations of Colombian per- folklore with rock, with pop, Latin America and across
award for best pop rock album for “Origen” at the 22nd annual formers together: Huertas, and make it universal while the globe. For Vives and
Latin Grammy Awards on Nov. 18, 2021, in Las Vegas and Carlos himself, and Juanes. still feeling local. That was Juanes, it doubles as a
Vives accepting the Legacy Award at the Latin American Music “I feel connected to my Co- like a revelation, it was a message of progress for
Awards on April 20, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Associated Press lombian ancestors through great inspiration for me,” Colombia.q