Despite strong female characters and a diverse cast Black Panther rated a 3/10 and we recommend movies that rate a 5 or above. We’ve gotten some questions about this one so we’ll explain.
The foundation of Picture Parity ratings is our 10 point criteria. This holistic approach means that movies and shows that appear to represent women well may not and the opposite can also be true.
To rate movies and shows we take into consideration who gets the lead credit, how many women are in the movie, the make-up of those women, and how they’re depicted on screen. We also look at how well represented women are behind the camera.
So, where did Black Panther lose points? The story is about the Black Panther who is male so that actor got top billing and well as more screen time then his female costars. In addition, this movie was written, directed and produced by men.
We see that last bit a lot and it points to the overall lack of female leadership behind the scenes even in movies that feature women and/or appear to be strong movies for women. There are still not enough women in these roles and it affects how much and how positively women are portrayed on screen.
That’s why we highlight and feature movies and shows that score well – to show our support and we encourage you to see these movies and shows so they get attention which leads to more good opportunities for women in media, resulting in more women-centric titles being made.
Join us and be part of this virtuous circle!