Half the Picture

Have you ever wondered why, despite the fact that women make up about half of all film-school directing majors these days, a very small percentage of them find gainful employment in the film industry? Specifically, less than 5% of directors behind the top-grossing U.S. films for the past 10 years have been women. What exactly happens between college and full-blown adulthood that decimates the female workforce to this troubling extend? Forty TV and movie directors, journalists, academics and activists attempt to solve this riddle, describing their often hair-raising personal and professional experiences on camera. Ava DuVernay, Jill Soloway, Lena Dunham, Catherine Hardwicke and Miranda July, among many others, reveal everything the system has tried to cover up, offering food for thought and plenty of reasons to revolt against the patriarchy, no matter where you live.