TOmarlo is almost natural: he taught us to look in the mirror, to recognize ourselves in his stories, his mistakes, his hopes. It has always been the deep breath of our identitya living chronicle that has been able to give shape to our dreams and give voice to our anxieties. But, looked at closely, it also reveals its cracks. Behind the magic of the screen, in fact, in the industrious shadow of the sets, Italian cinema still shows signs of a disparity that is struggling to disappearrevealing how “behind the scenes” continues to be a terrain where gender decides the fate of a career.
Cinema, a world divided between tradition and change
It’s been talked about for years, it’s true: gender equality has become a central theme in debates, festivals and interviews. Nevertheless, between words and the reality of the sets, there is still a gap that only data can honestly tell. These are not cold numbers, but the stories of thousands of professionals who every day seek their space in a sector that struggles to shake off old habits. To understand what the current situation is and whether the wind is changing, the Almed High School in Media Communication and Entertainment of the Catholic University, together with the MIC, the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture, he decided to take a photograph without filters.
The Almed 2026 survey: an unfiltered snapshot of the system
The study, entitled Gender Equality & Inclusivity in the Film Industry, Gender balance in Italian film crewshas reached its fifth edition. Edited by Professor Mariagrazia Franchi and Doctor Rossella Gaudio, the report analyzed the careers of over thirty-three thousand people from 2017 to today, drawing a map that says where the glass ceiling is starting to crack And where instead it still remains thick and impassable.
The latest Almed and Ministry of Culture report takes a clear picture of our cinema (Getty)
Cinema, a divided world
The results show that there is still a lot of work to be done. In fact, despite the commitment of many associations, life on set still reflects an almost ancestral division. There are roles that seem to be naturally female: costume design sees a 78% female presence, followed by make-up and set design. But when you move towards the more technical departmentsthose where the heart of the film takes shape through sound and light, women become almost invisible. Only 8% take care of the sound direction and just 10% sign the music.
Tradition and change
However, there is one fact that lights up hope and that is the average annual growth rate. It is a technical acronym, but it hides a profound meaning: indicates how quickly the composition of an industry is changing. And it tells us that precisely in historically male roles, women are growing with a consistency that bodes well for the future, a sign of a determination that does not allow itself to be discouraged by prejudices.
The charge of young directors
The true soul of change pulsates behind the camera. In 2024, in a difficult year, marked by the slowdown in production due to the revision of the tax relief system that supports those who invest in cinema, women have not taken a step back. Indeed, the share of films directed by female directors has risen to 20%. A sign of pure resilience, driven above all by the very young people. The female directors under 35 are growing at a rate of 21% every year, a speed that overshadows the shy 3% of their peers. These new authors are not afraid to experiment: if documentaries remain their safe haven, they are gaining more and more ground in fiction too, bringing new and necessary perspectives into the stories that tell our reality.
The economic challenge and the weight of budgets
But talent alone is not enough if it does not find the correct economic support. Here the wound is still open: there is an almost automatic link between the gender of those in charge and the money put on the table. Almost a third of films directed by women have to settle for minimum budgets, under 200,000 euros. Big productionsthose that exceed three and a half million and that allow you to climb the box office, 80% remain an affair reserved for men.
In the control rooms, men decide
This imbalance often arises “at the top”, in the control rooms of production companies, 73% of which are led by men. Nevertheless, the data says that when a woman is in charge of a film company, there is more courage: it is precisely these realities that risk the most, investing in first works and debuts. It is a long-term vision that looks at the quality of the future rather than immediate profit.
Winning little but winning well
If the market is stingy, critics and festival audiences respond with thunderous applause. Films directed by women, despite limited means, have an edge: in 2024 they won awards almost twice as often as men: a success of 19% compared to 10% of male colleagues. But there’s more: it’s not just luck, it’s surgical precision. The data reveal, in fact, that a film signed by a womanqwhen he manages to get a nomination, has a very high probability of turning it into an actual victorywith success rates as high as 80% in some categories.
The cinema of tomorrow has a woman’s gaze
It is proof that the female vision, despite moving on a narrower path and with less fuel, manages to be incredibly incisive and that the women of Italian cinema are doing miracles with crumbs. It is proof that talent does not need millionaire budgets to reach excellence and that give women the same economic confidence reserved for menit would not only be an act of justice, but the best possible investment for the future of our culture.
