The most interesting television projects to come out of Flanders have one important thing in common: female directors. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of female professionals in projects supported by the Audiovisual Fund Flanders (VAF), jumping from 22% to 41%, and series such as “Roomies” by Flo van Duren and Kato de Becque have achieved great national and international success.
In an interview with Variety, “2000” director Helene DeClair said she believes this increase is because the next generation of filmmakers has grown up with admirable female creators. Even relatively young directors like Van Duren and de Becq are already starting to influence those who follow in their footsteps. “About three years ago we started seeing an increase in female directors, and more women are graduating in fiction filmmaking than ever before,” DeClair adds.
Brit Leys, whose short story “Luce and the Rock” was selected in Berlin and turned into an animated series for VRT’s Ketnet (the Belgian broadcaster’s children’s division), echoed that sentiment, noting that the number of women studying animation is increasing. “I have been teaching at a university for several years now, and there has been a noticeable change,” she says.
Reyes cited Emma de Swach, co-director of Netflix’s “The House,” as an example of emerging female talent. “It’s very important to have a series like this on your resume. For someone from Flanders to be able to achieve that is incredible for a young person,” she says.
BOHO, the upcoming comedy series for Belgian service Streamz about three thirty-something women navigating life in Antwerp, is a testament to the creative richness of Flemish women. The heads of production were all women, and director Olympia Alert described the experience as “amazing.” “Especially in a series like this, it was important to understand what the characters were feeling and what they were going through,” she added.
“In a lot of productions, all the department heads are men, and no one says, ‘Wow, there are too many men,’ but when it comes to women, it’s done differently,” points out Helen Purkey, series producer on Single Johnny DePony. The veteran also highlighted the fact that he has seen setbacks in the industry over the past five years. “Decision makers are choosing to be safe, whatever that means. I feel like they’re becoming more conservative, but unfortunately women are still not seen as a safe option. As ironic as it may sound, white men are back,” she says.
Both Laes and DeClair agree, pointing out that while more women are training to enter the industry, they still face some of the same old problems once they’re in the industry. “The door isn’t closed for me, but if a guy just has to walk through, he might have to knock,” Raes said. “I’m fine with knocking on the door, but not everyone has the energy or condition to knock so many times.”
Finally, VAF’s new CEO Carla Puttemans said that gender equality is “certainly important” to her and the organization, but added that she believes that all recent progress has not yet translated into equality. “Gender balance remains unstable and uncertain, so we remain vigilant and continue to encourage and stimulate the industry on this important issue.”
