For generations, the critics on board the major film festivals have looked exactly like most of those who make the films: male and white. It is concerning how significant the disparity is between film critics and movie consumers.
How Film Critics Impact the Film Industry
Critics who attend film premieres and write the initial reviews define a film’s content’s discourse. They set the standard. Their words impact the movie distribution, award functions, press, etc. While film festivals have significantly increased the diversity in writers, actors, and directors, the lack of diversity among critics has remained the same.
Technically speaking, anyone can be a critic. Because of the internet, people can easily share their opinions on any artistic work. Mediums like Twitter, Letterbox, Youtube, etc., allow the public to speak on any film or piece of media. But the real question is not who gets to be a critic. Instead, it is about which critics’ voices decide the course of the mass cultural conversation.
A critic not only assesses a creative project based on its form but also its relationship to society’s culture. Critics have power, whether they know it or not. What they say about a specific piece of work impacts the dominant conversation surrounding that work. The issue, however, is that it is primarily white men who have had that power. The community of critics needs to reflect everyone consuming the work.
Lack of Diversity
In 2018, the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative analyzed critics’ race, gender, and ethnicity and found that of the nearly 20,000 reviews, 82% were by white critics, and the top critics were 76% male. In fact, the ratio of white male top critics to women of color was 27:1. Diversity in this sector is not only about who’s behind the camera. It is also about how these films are entering society.
The films showcased at film festivals may be diverse and inclusive. However, they are shown to critics who are primarily white men. This disparity has severe consequences as it impacts distribution, sales, and opportunities.
It is not that white critics are not doing their work. But critics of color bring a compelling perspective to the conversation based on experiences, culture, and knowledge the dominant society is unaware of. For instance, we cannot expect a white male critic to fully comprehend the struggles and journey of an African American teenage girl.
Next Steps
There are people within the industry who recognize the lack of diversity in critics as a significant issue and are proactively working towards a better future. In 2019, for example, a Press Inclusion Initiative at the Sundance Film Festival occurred. They brought in critics from various backgrounds: critics of color, with disabilities, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. At that festival, 63% of the press were from minority communities.
The Nathan Cummings Foundation and Ford Foundation have a Critical Minded initiative that actively supports critics of color. They even held a panel at the annual JustFilms program by the Ford Foundation, which highlighted the importance of changing the dominant white gaze in the criticism sector.
Critics are an integral part of art and media culture. They challenge us to become active audiences. Critics of color can provide a deeper understanding of the work and the creator. These creations mirror our reality – the good and the ugly. Critics of color help us see beyond the surface. All we have to do is give them a chance.
