Celebrating women at HPPH

Gender inequality is a pervasive problem across all aspects of the film sector. There are many obstacles like the gender pay gap and sexism which make it difficult for women to exist in the industry. Even when they do persevere and make a career in film, women often receive little recognition. For example, between 1929 and 2024, only 17% of nominees at the Oscars were women and only 2% were women from the Global Majority. Improving this gender imbalance in any small way we can is something we feel very passionate about here at the Picture House. With International Women’s Day coming up on March 8th, it feels like a good time to reflect on what we can do.

When curating our film programme, we feel we have a duty to make sure our film selections are as representative as possible. One of the many considerations we take into account is the F-Rating of a film – a brilliant rating system initiated by Holly Tarquini. A film can receive an F-Rating if it's directed and/or written by a woman, or a Triple F-Rating if it has a female writer, director, and significant lead performance. The rating also extends to non-binary writers and directors too, which we fully support. 

This year we're pleased to confirm our commitment to this brilliant system, and films which are either F-Rated or Triple F-Rated will have a stamp appear on the film page, linking through to more detail on this page.

Two Triple F-Rated films we’re looking forward to celebrating with audiences this March are Lionheart (2018) and Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975).

Lionheart is not only written (in collaboration with others) and directed by the brilliant Genevieve Nnaji, she also plays the role of the lead protagonist, Adaeze. Adaeze is a determined, inspiring character, battling against sexism in the workplace. Her empowerment is refreshing to see on screen, particularly in a Nollywood film where unequal traditional gender roles are rarely challenged.

Chantal Akerman’s landmark experimental film Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles is both a magnificent example of feminism and a symbol of the urgent need for feminism. It deservedly made it to the top of Sight and Sound’s greatest films of all time list. However, depressingly, this was the first time in 70 years that a film directed by a woman had come out top in the poll. In fact, no other film by a woman had ever even made it into the top ten before that point.

The protagonist, Jeanne Dielman, is played by Delphine Seyrig and Akerman forces us to empathise with the often-underappreciated mundane tasks that women largely take on. Lots of her repetitive tasks are filmed in real time and maybe this is a necessary awakening for some about women's often underappreciated workload. For example, in 2016 the UK’s Office for National Statistics found that women carry out an overall average of 60% more unpaid work (housework, childcare and care work) than men.

Two films we’re excited to show this March that aren’t F-Rated but have strong feminist themes are Sister Midnight and The Seed of the Sacred Fig.

Sister Midnight been described as a ‘feral feminist fable’ (Time Out) and has a refreshingly unapologetic lead, Uma, who refuses to fit in any moulds of what women should behave like or what her role in marriage should be. We can't wait to welcome the director to the cinema for a special Q&A on 11th March. Films like Oscar-nominated The Seed of the Sacred Fig also feel essential in educating the wider world about the horrific restrictions on Iranian women’s rights. The director, Mohammad Rasoulof, took a huge risk in shooting this anti-patriarchal thriller in secret and is now a target of Iran’s government for his criticism of the state.

Films are a wonderfully accessible medium to educate and inspire. So, while we’re certainly not suggesting that it’s essential for all films to be feminist films, we love showing films like these that challenge unfair views and encourage change. Film has too often been an oppressive medium for women – a space where insane beauty standards are perpetuated, so it’s great to see when this form that we love so dearly is reclaimed by women and used for good.

From programming to catering, we’re honoured to work with incredibly extraordinary women and female-led organisations. For our screening of Lionheart, we’re partnering with three of Leeds’ most inspiring female-led organisations: Leeds International African Arts Festival, Black Women's Project and The Black Feminist Society at the University of Leeds.

We also frequently work with Women of the Lens, a film festival whose mission we’re very much behind as they’re dedicated to improving opportunities for Black women in the film industry. We love working with T A P E who focus on programmes of women from the Global Majority both behind and in front of the camera; their recent Snaphsot series was particularly great, and we loved our special Shabu Q&A with director Shamira Raphaela, just days after reopening. We’re also passionate supporters of Reclaim the Frame’s work, who bring audiences together and champion films by women and non-binary filmmakers. We're especially excited to be working with them on a special Q&A screening of Triple F-Rated drama Santosh, with director Sandhya Suri, on Thu 20 March – details here.

Women and non-binary folk also also represent the majority of staff here at the Picture House – from our inspiring Head of Cinema Wendy and wonderful engagement officers Mosa and Sylvia, to our amazing front of house staff including those who programme our Guilt Free Pleasures screenings, Cat, Ellie, Hazel and Alice. 

Our commitment to working with great women extends beyond our film programme too – and includes all aspects of what we do, including the food and drink we serve. For well over a decade now, we've loved working with the wonderful Elly Robinson of That Old Chestnut on lots of baked goods, including the ever-popular tiffins.  And more recently, we've loved working with Megan and Joanna, the amazing bakers behind Queen of Tarts, to bring you even more tasty treats. 

This piece could turn into an endless thank you list, so before it turns into an overly-long acceptance speech, I just want to end by saying a huge thank you and well done to all the amazing women who continue to impress and inspire us in an industry and world that is full of barriers.