Leading with Intention: Karen McMullen on Film Festival Programming, Finding Fresh Voices, and Women of Color in Film
GenderAvenger has covered inequity in film both in front of and behind the camera. Today, we are thrilled to bring you a conversation with Karen McMullen, a Brooklyn-based film festival programmer, moderator, and curator, as well as an editor and educator. She is currently a programmer at the Tribeca Film Festival, DOC NYC, and the director of programming for the TIDE Film Festival.
While there has been scant improvement in representation behind the camera on top-grossing films, according to the Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film, women have fared far better on the independent and documentary film circuits, representing 38% of directors in 2020. Film festivals are a key part of the process, providing both an opportunity for new talent to be seen and a necessary step towards their work making it into the broader public sphere, whether on the big or small screen.
Karen McMullen
McMullen has seen progress, but it has been intentional on the part of programmers. She says that:
Until you hit it big, filmmaking is an expensive hobby. It's also expensive to submit work to a film festival. Like many things in this world, it comes down to economics. The people who usually have more money are white men, so they can afford to submit to more festivals. However, there are conversations in programming meetings all the time about inclusion, whether it’s gender parity at Tribeca, or at Doc NYC, we're vocal about having more filmmakers of color — specifically filmmakers of color telling stories about people of color.
There have also been changes in who is submitting films, with more women of color filmmakers emerging over the past 10-15 years:
Women, mostly women of color, have ventured out. First it was to tell their stories, but now I see so many really creative pieces, like sci-fi and horror, and people covering all sorts of topics in the documentary space. It’s not just personal narratives about family or social issues, which are very important, but women tend to do more social issue films.
Highlighting fresh voices has risks (most festivals are for-profit!), but programmers have the opportunity both to bring new perspectives into the public view and to redefine the image of filmmakers in the public eye.
To me, film festivals have a responsibility,” she shares. “We're tastemakers, bringing the best of the new films to audiences, which will eventually end up on streaming channels and in movie theaters. There are a lot of communities to consider — and they need to be considered. Latinx, the Asian community, LGBTQIA. It's up to us to be intentional. We want new voices. And to me, that entails looking at what African American people are saying, what physically challenged people are saying. What about the trans community? Where are their voices?
Given the profit motive, you have to strike a balance. The truth is that celebrity sells, but with celebrity vehicles, usually comes a more conventional story. If you don't take the risks, then you never find the new people. You never find the Ava DuVernays or the Nia DaCostas.
Communities like GenderAvenger can help foster change and champion filmmakers. McMullen mentioned the DuVernay test as a good tool:
It’s similar to the Bechdel test, but in order to ace the DuVernay test, a film has to have African-American or other minority characters who have fully realized lives instead of just being human scenery. So, not only should there be women in the film discussing something that doesn't have to do with men, but there should be Black people that have their own lives that aren't focused around white people.
And noise matters!
When you're watching Netflix or Hulu, seek out women directors, seek out Black directors, seek out Asian directors, seek out other people. Watch those films, vote that you liked those films, if you liked them, and just let it be known, because Hollywood is a money game. It's not deep seated hatred towards women and people of color. And the same for film festivals, if you go to a film festival and you notice that 90% of directors are white men say something to somebody, write a letter, make noise.
A lot of things are unintentional, and, unless you're intentional, things don't change.
You can follow McMullen on Instagram @thetidefilmfest.
As an added bonus, McMullen shared her favorite recent and classic films by Black women. Watch, share, and make some noise!
Time by Garrett Bradley (Amazon Prime)
Farewell Amor by Ekwa Msangi (Amazon Prime)
Middle of Nowhere by Ava DuVernay (Netflix)
The 40 Year Old Version by Radha Blank (Netflix)
Beyond the Lights by Gina Prince-Bythwood (Netflix)
Jinn by Nijla Mu'min (YouTube)
You can find even more amazing directors and films by visiting the Tribeca Film Festival’s Guide to Essential, Underrated, and Flat-Out Extraordinary Films by Black Women Directors.