Everything can change: the documentary on men-female inequalities in Hollywood seen by its producer Geena Davis

Last September, Geena Davis did not only receive a prize for her entire career at the Deauville American Cinema Festival, but also to present one of his most personal projects: the documentary everything can change -What if women counted in Hollywood?produced by him and realized by Tom Donahue, who returns to men-female inequalities in the cinema world.An edifying and necessary film, crossed many testimonies (Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep, Jessica Chastain...) which resonates very strongly in a news still marked by the consequences of the Weinstein affair, and which the actress spoke of our microphone.

Allociné: "Everything can change" is an interesting documentary and depressing both, because it shows that each time the change has been about to occur, that was not the case.But have things moved a little more since the film was made? Geena Davis: No!(laughs)

Even after all the upheavals born following the Weinstein affair and the #MeToo or Time's Up movements? One thing has changed: today, it is possible to talk about these inequalities.It's more in people's minds from #MeToo, Time's Up or Trump.This is an important change that can create others by making people talk to each other about subjects like equality of wages for example.Before it happens, you could not complain about your salary because there is necessarily someone less well paid (laughs) never in life.But now there is Gillian Anderson who discovers that she perceives half of what David Duchovny touches, who raises the voice, and who gets the same thing.It's a huge change.We also see it in other sectors of society, in the women's football in particular: we are at a time when we pay more attention to these things.So we will see other changes.The liberation of women dates back to the 1970s, it is time for another.

The documentary shows your first appearance in the cinema: in a scene of "Tootsie" where you were in underwear.Were you aware, at the time, of the danger of being objective in this way at the time?Because you quickly went on films speaking of female emancipation.I never felt uncomfortable in relation to this role.I was even very happy, because it was also my first hearing, that it was in a feature film with Dustin Hoffman..., in short it was incredible.I was also treated with great respect on the set.By everyone, and more particularly Sydney Pollack, which was fantastic.The experience was therefore very formative.I can understand that it seems strange, but it was very fun too.Especially that it was my choice.It is not like I did not know that I was going to have to play in underwear.

You started producing in 1994.Was it to have more control over your movies and roles? Yes, it gives you more power, even if I also like to produce.Because I tend to want to be involved in each step (laughs) in any field.It's quite common, when you have to hold one of the main roles, especially in a series, but it is important for a film too.

We recently seen you in season 3 of "g.L.O.W."On Netflix, where it is a question of sorority and emancipation.You play a mentor role and he tells himself that the scene you appear in showgirl was one of your suggestions.(laughs) I already loved the series when I was offered this role, and I just liked this mentor side.It was the first time, since an extraordinary team, that I was surrounded by as many women, whether actresses, creators or directors.And when they told me that my character had been a showgirl, I told them that it was going to have to find an excuse so that I could wear this costume.Because I have always loved these huge costumes with which you have to walk back.It has always fascinated me, and they found a way to add this scene.

Do you think there can be real solidarity between women in the cinema industry? Yes of course: I saw it and I participated.It has always bored me that people assume that women do not get along with each other.From my point of view, I can tell you that we can hear ourselves in a fairly fantastic way.During the promotion of an extraordinary team, each interviewer wanted to know if there had been a bun crêpage on the set.We are generally supporting ourselves, but there has been a formidable impulse of solidarity from #MeToo and Time's Up, of which I am one of the founding members.Support us with each other allows us to have more.

These movements allowed you to have more testimonies in the documentary? Yes, is that the director told me: he had been shooting for a few years before all this happened, and it then becamea million times easier for him to have people in front of the camera.Suddenly, all the big names he had tried to bring together in vain said "yes".And I know that the effects of #MeToo and Time's Up have played, especially since many of the women we see in the film are members of Time's Up.It made the difference.

Tout peut changer, Et si les femmes comptaient à Hollywood ?Sortie : 19 février 2020|1h 35minDeTom DonahueAvecGeena Davis,Meryl Streep,Chloë Grace Moretz,Yara Shahidi,Natalie Portman Presse 3,1 Spectateurs 3,2louer ou acheter

But the film was directed by a man.But yes !When he was announced in the United States that I was going to be a delegated producer of the film, there were lots of comments wondering how I could hire a man to make this documentary when there were so many gifted women.Except it was his project!He made me participate but it was his idea.And we are lucky that it was, because it is especially because he is a man that he wanted to do it, and that he felt that we could not hope that the mostserved can solve their own problem.It is too much to think that thinking that the oppressed will also have to carry the burden of the resolution of their problem.Men had to help us, with power, money and the status they may have.He thought it was important to do this.

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— Louise McDermott Mon Dec 01 14:00:08 +0000 2014

When the project was launched? I think it took us, in all, five years to do it.Tom interviewed a good thousand people.

Some testimonies are barely believable.Yes !There are things I have learned myself, but the film makes it possible to understand that we can change if we want.Ryan Murphy has, for example, created the Half organization, which stipulates that each of its projects must have 50% of women in front of the camera, and 50% behind.And it was he who decided it.I must also meet the collective 5050 for 2020 [which fights for equality in the world of cinema, editor's note].

Do you think that a parity should be imposed on the selections of big festivals like Cannes, where the vast majority of films are made by men? I think yes.I believe in it firmly.I do not know if it is possible to force festivals to do so, but they should decide to do this and stick to it.I myself have my own festival in the United States, in Arkansas, and it is dedicated to female emancipation and diversity.[In May 2019], 86% of the films presented were made by women, and 61% of them came from diversity.And if I believe in all of this, it is also because I recently learned that in a festival of short films which is held every year in Australia, only 17% of the films presented in competition were made by women.But they realized that it was not going, and did a test by making the names of the directors disappear, to see the result: and they arrived at 50/50.This therefore proves that we do not lack quality products made by women, and I wonder in which other sectors of society we could arrive at the same result.

"Thelma and Louise" made a big step forward for female emancipation on the big screen, because he had a lot of impact on the public.But many people see him today and criticize various aspects like his end which resembles a punishment, or the fact that your character is often blamed for his actions.What do you think of these criticisms? There was already ahead when the film was released.He aroused a lot of comments at the time: many were positive, but many were also negative.There were even articles saying that it was terrible because the women now had firearms.

As for the end, it is necessary to wonder why a film which ends with two women who commit suicide arouses as much acclamation from the female public.I was however convinced that nobody would like to go see it because we would die at the end, but it is the opposite that happened.Women even came to see me to tell me that they had redone our trip with a friend, and I asked them how far they had gone (laughs) for me, it is explained because it is aMetaphor: once freed from other people telling them how to live their lives, they will not go back.If they had surrendered, they would have abandoned this freedom.So despite the fact that we make really horrible decisions throughout our journey, we are at least responsible for ourselves.Leaving in this way is therefore a way of saying "whatever the consequences, I remain mistress of my destiny."I thought about it a lot, and I think the film is inspiring for this reason.

Did you feel that you were badly treated because you were a woman in this industry?That you could not obtain a role or a project you wanted? From the start, it seemed obvious to me that there were fewer very good roles available for women.I had a few, which I found interesting, then there was Thelma and Louise, an extraordinary team, and I felt good about it.But I saw that there was an injustice.I knew how much I was paid than my male partners.It was unequal in the same way as when my male partners made comments and asked for changes, they happened, but that when it came from me, things remained as they were.

Do you think things are easier for young actresses today? No, but perhaps the situation has improved very recently, because it is now possible to talk about all this.In the documentary, there is for example Chloë Grace Moretz who talks about the padded bra that was asked to wear when she was 14 years old.If this happens today, with an actress of this age, she may say something, but her guards and her parents too.So that wouldn't happen, unless she wants.To sum up: we are now allowed to complain.This does not mean that it will change anything, but we can complain (laughs)

Is fear is the only way to make things change? No, I believe more in positive encouragement.Sometimes you have to approach a problem from a different angle.My own defense is for example positively and privately, because I do not argue publicly with someone.Even to say that I did not like a film: I can talk to the main interested parties in private but not in front of everyone.This is my approach, to which people react very well, so I'm not going to change it.Unless I am publicly challenged.

Interview by Maximilien Pierrette in Deauville on September 10, 2019

"Everything can change" is to be seen since February 19:

Tout peut changer, Et si les femmes comptaient à Hollywood ? Bande-annonce VO