The 2025 César Awards nominations highlight a persistent gender imbalance in French cinema, with only male directors competing for top honors. While the U.S. is making strides toward gender parity, France reflects outdated trends, evidenced by a 62% male character representation in films. Despite initiatives like the Alice Guy Prize, the number of films directed by women has declined. Systemic barriers remain, though new regulations aim to address sexism on set, signaling a potential cultural shift in the industry.
The Gender Imbalance in French Cinema: A 2025 Overview
As I delve into the nominations for the 2025 César Awards, the words of James Brown’s iconic song “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” echo in my mind. This year’s nominations reveal a stark reality: 14 nominations for The Count of Monte Cristo by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patellière, 13 for L’Amour ouf by Gilles Lellouche, and 12 for Emilia Pérez by Jacques Audiard, among others. Tomorrow, at the 50th César ceremony, only men will be vying for the prestigious César for Best Direction and César for Best Film. This scenario paints a disheartening picture of a film industry that still seems to marginalize women, indicating that even in 2025, the film world continues to reflect a patriarchal bias. It raises the question: does the French film industry resemble a family with a sexist uncle, racist grandparents, and reactionary younger members?
Comparative Insights: France vs. the U.S.
In contrast, the United States is witnessing a shift towards gender parity in film representation. According to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, 2024 marked a historic moment where films featuring female protagonists achieved equal success to those led by male characters. However, it’s essential to consider the depth and richness of these roles. Clémentine Charlemaine from the Collectif 50/50 emphasizes the need for not just representation but meaningful roles, highlighting that women over forty only comprise 16% of female characters, compared to 31% for their male counterparts. Although there are indicators of progress, the path to true equality requires sustained effort, particularly given the evolving political landscape in the U.S.
In France, the last comprehensive study on gender representation in film, conducted in 2019, revealed that a staggering 62% of main characters were male, with a mere 5% representing LGBTQ+ identities and 81% perceived as white. Fast forward to 2025, and the nominations for the César Awards suggest little has shifted. The dominance of male-led films like The Count of Monte Cristo and L’Amour ouf signals that the industry may still be stuck in outdated patterns. Women may be increasingly visible on screen, but the same cannot be said for their presence behind the camera. The Collectif 50/50’s analysis of 247 films released in 2023 found women still underrepresented in key production roles, with only 8% serving as music composers and 18% as directors of photography. This stark data indicates that while women may hold some positions, they often lack the influence and budgetary power that comes with higher-profile projects.
To combat this imbalance, journalist Véronique Le Bris established the Alice Guy Prize in 2018, aiming to track the number of films directed by women each year. Despite a promising 106 films directed by women last year, the numbers have plummeted to 85 in 2025—a nearly 20% decline. This suggests that while more women are attempting to create films, systemic barriers remain firmly in place. Marine Longuet, an experienced assistant director and board member of the Collectif 50/50, notes a critical turning point in the fight against sexism on set. New regulations require producers to undergo training on sexual and sexist violence to access public funding, and since January 2025, film crews must also participate in training. This structured approach could signify a positive shift in the industry culture.
The road to equality in French cinema is still long, with significant work required to ensure that women not only have a seat at the table but also a voice that influences the narrative. The trends observed at the César Awards only underscore the urgent need for systemic change in the industry.