In the newest issue of Violet, Keira Knightly discusses the state of women in the film industry, her views on feminism and gender equality. Knightley, who recently earned an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of mathematician Joan Clarke in The Imitation Game, emphasizes the barriers to success that women in the film industry—and in general—still face today.
“Where are the female stories? Where are they? Where are the directors, where are the writers? It’s imbalanced,” Knightley asks, before adding, “I think the pay is a huge thing, but I’m actually more concerned over the lack of our voices being heard.”
The struggle for female voices in film is ongoing. Research has shown that for every one female director, there are 15.24 male directors.
Furthermore, astoundingly few feature films, usually estimated to be less than a third, pass the Bechdel Test. The Bechdel Test’s criteria includes movies where female characters who interact with one another speak about anything other than a man. Box office numbers show, however, that films that do pass the Bechdel Test actually make more money than those that fail.
This upcoming issue of Violet will be released next week. The magazine is relatively new, founded in 2014 in order to “celebrate women, their curiosity, femininity, and style.” Previous women to appear on the cover have included Alexa Chung and Brit Marling.