THE DIRECTOR of Bafta Scotland, which has unveiled its short lists for 2018, is to call on film and TV production companies to hire more women in key positions.
Jude MacLaverty said the lack of women in major categories for this year’s awards are a “reflection of the industry”, and that film and TV production companies simply “need to give women jobs.”
The Scottish made thriller Calibre leads this year’s nominations, with five.
However there is no women in the best director categories for either factual or fiction, or the writer for film and television category.
READ MORE: Trainspotting 2 triumphs at Bafta Scotland awards
Karen Gillan’s debut feature film as a writer and a director, The Party’s Just Beginning, is in the running for best feature film, as is the zombie comedy drama Anna and the Apocalypse and Nae Pasaran, the documentary about Scottish workers who helped sabotage the Chilean dictator General Pinochet.
Gillan’s film was produced by Claire Mundell, of Glasgow’s Synchronicity Films.
Last year, the best factual director went to Louise Lockwood for Fair Isle: Living on the Edge, and Hope Dickson Leach won the best writer category for The Levelling.
This year the short list for the best factual director is John MacLaverty for Scotland 78: A Love Story, Matt Pinder for Violent Men: Behind Bars, and Felipe Bustos Serra for Nae Pasaran, while the best director, fiction, category, features Armando Iannucci for The Death of Stalin, Colm McCarthy for Black Mirror: Black Museum and Matt Palmer for Calibre.
Palmer is also in the best writer category, as is Iannucci and David Kane, for Shetland.
READ MORE: Iannucci given special award by BAFTA Scotland
BAFTA Scotland said that only 18% of entrants to the writer category were women, 21% of entrants to the director of fiction category, and 31% for the director of factual category.
A spokeswoman said: “Giving more talented women the opportunity is one of BAFTA Scotland focuses at present, and we will continue we will continue to work with colleagues in London to look at ways to help redress this balance through initiatives such as our BAFTA Guru New Talent initiative and hope to see more women represented next year.”
Women film makers are featured in the categories for Short Film, Features and Factual Series.
Ms MacLaverty noted the lack of women in key categories, and said: “It is something that BAFTA, at ground level are always trying to push and try and do something about.
“It is a reflection of the industry at the moment, and the jury can only work with what they have - but BAFTA at every level, from panellists to juries, which were 54% female, are aware of this.”
The award ceremony for this year’s British Academy of Film and Television Arts in Scotland is on November 4 in Glasgow.
Ms MacLaverty added: “I might even say it on the night of the ceremony: people just need to employ women, they need to give them the jobs.
“I love the actress who said: ‘To casting people, could this part be a woman?’
“From what I hear, Scotland has never been busier, and crews are being really stretched, and so we are doing a lot of work to fill some training gaps, and I see a lot more women taking part.”
Edith Bowman, who is host of the awards, noted: “It is not a criticism of Bafta - it is the production companies: women need to be given the opportunity when the production is being put together for cast and crew.”
Ms Bowman said she hoped grassroots work by BAFTA will increase female involvement in the short lists next year.
Ms MacLaverty said that the judging panels are only looking for “excellence” in each category.
READ MORE: Letters - Hard work no match for structural inequality
Ms Bowman added: “The British Academy Scotland Awards is an exceptional event that champions the very best in creativity and production in Scotland and I am delighted to be returning to host this year.
“As an organisation BAFTA Scotland plays such an important role in the support and development of creative talent as well as providing a real platform for recognition.”
The best actress in a film category features Ella Hunt, Shauna Macdonald and Sian Phillips., whereas the actress on television prize is between Morven Christie, Kiran Sonia Sawar and Elaine C Smith, for her role in Two Doors Down.
The best actor category will guarantee a Scottish BAFTA for the thriller Calibre, as it features three actors from the film, which was shown on Netflix: Tony Curran, Jack Lowden and Martin McCann.
The best actor on television category features Douglas Henshall for his role in Shetland, Chris Reilly for The Past Post and Jonathan Watson for Two Doors Down.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel