Festival de Málaga focuses on diversity and inclusion in film casts with ACA
Directors and screenwriters have analysed the lack of representation in film and proposed solutions for a more inclusive industry.
This Monday, the Festival de Málaga hosted a meeting organised by the Andalusian Film Academy (ACA) at the Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga. Filmmakers, screenwriters, casting directors and industry representatives discussed diversity in film casts and the need for greater representation on the big screen.
The colloquium, moderated by Mercedes Hoyos (actress and acting member of the ACA) and presented by Marta Velasco (president of the ACA), was attended by Celia de Molina (filmmaker and 2nd vice-president of CIMA), Alejandro Marín (director and screenwriter), Rakesh Narwani (director and screenwriter), Marichu Sanz (casting director, APDICE) and Violeta Salama (director and screenwriter).
Mercedes Hoyos began by asking those present several questions: "Do we tell the story of a woman over 50 in the cinema? Of someone from the LGBTI community? Of people with different accents or of different races? And if so, what are their circumstances?”
Rakesh Narwani answered her question by talking about the unconscious bias that often occurs "out of ignorance or fear of creating controversy". Alejandro Marín added that "there has to be a certain amount of advisory work and the roles must be written responsibly, so that they are not just people 'acting as'".
For Narwani, the viewers themselves "don't see these roles and they don't know that they can take part in cinema and be part of the industry; it's a vicious circle".
The choice of actors and actresses starts much earlier. Marichu Sanz said that as a casting director she has always been asked for performers with certain characteristics: "We casting directors find ourselves with a project that is already completed, with already defined characters". However, this narrow characterisation does seem to be becoming more flexible: "Now they don't ask for so many specific characteristics, but rather an energy. We can propose actors with different appearances or of different races," said Sanz.
Violeta Salama also gave the example of how the sector is still mired in old habits in terms of women's roles: "Both my films star women over 50. One of them has a very sour role and the producers weren't convinced of that; they wanted a sweet woman".
Celia de Molina also highlighted the need to lower the standards of certain groups and to make room for people of all kinds. "Minorities are required to be spectacular," added Marín. "I want the day to come when women make 'balls ups' like our male counterparts, who also make them, and we are still there", said De Molina, continuing with the idea of unevenly imposed perfection.
"There has to be a change of mentality. Quotas are all very well, but there also has to be a change in education and training," Narwani added.
For all the speakers, the challenge is clear: to make other types of roles more visible, more in line with reality. In the words of Violeta Salama: "Spain is still considered very purist, as if there were no immigrants, Jews, Indians... and this is reflected in our cinema".
This initiative is part of the 28th edition of the Malaga Festival, reaffirming its commitment to a cinema that reflects the diversity and richness of today's society.
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