EPIX to Air Doc Series Spotlighting Gender Inequality in Hollywood

NEW YORK: EPIX has added to its schedule The 4%: Film’s Gender Problem, which is a series of six original short documentaries that explore the issues of gender inequality in Hollywood.

The project has completed production, and all six shorts are slated to air on the network and all EPIX platforms on International Women’s Day, March 8, and run throughout the month, coinciding with Women’s History Month. Produced by Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Taxi To the Darkside), the series spotlights directors and creative personalities (both women and men) who share first-person insights, questions and anecdotes about the role of women in Hollywood. Participants include Judd Apatow, Toni Collette, America Ferrera, James Franco, Mo’Nique, Michael Moore, Jill Soloway, Anne Sweeney and Kristen Wiig.

Each film will focus on a different theme. The series is informed by research conducted by USC Annenberg’s Dr. Stacy L. Smith, an expert in the field, and which was supported by Women in Film Los Angeles and Sundance Institute. The 4%: Film’s Gender Problem also has the support of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender In Media and Meryl Streep.

Mark S. Greenberg, the president and CEO of EPIX, said, “EPIX has supported Stacy’s research for years and these shorts offer a richer, more authentic portrayal about the role of women and girls in media today. Support for this project has also brought together the talented Alex Gibney, and a prestigious list of some of the most gifted artists and creatives from the worlds of entertainment and the arts. Our objective is to help provide a forum for the discussion of ideas and potential solutions, as we collectively work towards closing the gap that exists today.”

Dr. Stacy L. Smith, the Initiative’s founder and director and lead researcher on the investigation, said, “The series offers an opportunity for a national audience to hear from the entertainment industry directly about the issues women face both as filmmakers and in other creative roles. My research is clear: females face a very real fiscal cliff as they pursue work at the highest echelons of this industry. I am proud that my research is associated with a team and a network that cares about female filmmakers and creating systemic change.”