Maggie Gyllenhaal, head of the jury for this year’s Venice Film Festival, raised concerns on Wednesday about the limited representation of women directors in the festival’s main competition lineup. Speaking at a press conference on the opening day of the event in Italy, the American actress and director highlighted the systemic challenges women face in the film industry, particularly regarding financing and recognition.

Gyllenhaal noted that only two films directed by women had been selected for the festival’s top competition, a figure she said reflected broader industry issues. "There’s a systemic problem," she stated, suggesting that female filmmakers often struggle to secure funding and that the types of stories women want to tell may not always align with traditional notions of high art. She questioned who ultimately determines the value and quality of films, raising these as legitimate concerns for the festival and industry at large.

Among the films competing for the Golden Lion, Venice’s highest prize, “Woman Unknown” by Danish-Egyptian director May El-Toukhy was the sole work by a woman in the initial field of 20 titles. The selection sparked debate over gender representation, following earlier criticism directed at Alberto Barbera, the festival’s director, and his remarks at the July announcement. Barbera defended the selection process as being made “without prejudice,” explaining that the quality of submissions from women directors that year did not meet the standards to be included in the main competition. His comments prompted a public letter from various Italian campaign and industry groups condemning the lack of female filmmakers in the lineup.

While Gyllenhaal’s remarks appeared to implicitly challenge Barbera’s decisions, she also reflected on her own appointment as head of the main jury. She emphasized the importance of her role in addressing gender disparities in the film festival circuit. “I really am walking in with a question as to why there’s so few women in the main competition as filmmakers this year,” she said, adding that being entrusted with leading the jury after directing two films herself was a significant step toward greater inclusion.

The discussion at Venice this year underscores ongoing conversations within the global film community about the barriers women face and the need for more equitable representation in major international festivals.