Rally at Toronto film festival calls for women's rights

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Nearly 200 men and women, among them Hollywood stars, rallied Saturday outside the Toronto film festival headquarters to call for equal pay and respect for women in film.

Demonstrators shouted, "Women rock!" as they marched amid growing calls in the industry for more women-led storylines and meaty roles, and in the wake of the #MeToo movement brought into the spotlight by the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Addressing the crowd, "Thelma and Louise" star Geena Davis spoke of the need to make an early start to eliminate gender bias, for example, by ensuring that there are more female characters in children's television shows and movies.

She said she began pushing for this because she felt a need for role models for her own daughter.

"Why are we teaching kids something that we try so hard to get rid of later on? Why are we training them to have unconscious gender bias from the beginning when we know it's so hard to get rid of?" she said.

Actresses Amanda Brugel ("Room," "Handmaid's Tale") and Mia Kirshner, who cofounded the #AfterMeToo campaign, were also on hand calling for people in the film industry to support female voices.

Actress Amanda Brugel arrives at the Audi Celebrates The 69th Emmys party at The Highlight Room at the Dream Hollywood on September 14, 2017, in Hollywood, California. /VCG Photo

"It's about having everyone stand together and recognize a culture that's unhealthy and toxic and doesn't help anyone," Callum Middleton, a 23-year-old camerawoman from Vancouver who took part, told AFP.

"When we all watch out for each other and create an environment that's respectful for everyone, everyone can have a safe workplace," she said.

Earlier, Toronto International Film Festival boss Cameron Bailey reiterated TIFF's commitment to gender parity in the industry.

The proportion of films by women screened at the festival this year was 35 percent, up slightly from 2017.

There were also 136 female leads.

The festival, meanwhile, set up a hotline for staff, volunteers, guests and audience members, and posted signage around venues highlighting its zero tolerance for harassment or abuse.

Actor Mark Wahlberg and actress Emma Stone. /CGTN Photo

Besides, there has been a backlash against the gender bias in Hollywood.

In 2017, Forbes magazine reported that rapper-turned-actor Mark Wahlberg was the highest-paid actor in the world with a whopping 68 million US dollars – 42 million more than the top earning actress Emma Stone. The 10 highest-paid leading men earned a combined 488.5 million US dollars, nearly three times more than the 172.5 million US dollars earned by the top 10 leading women, according to Forbes.

Source(s): AFP