Films like Little Women by Greta Gerwig, The Farewell by Lulu Wang and Hustlers by Lorene Scafaria are some of the films that were released in 2019 and directed by a woman.

Of the total 113 directors behind the 2019 best-selling films, 89.4 percent were men and 10.6 percent were women, according to a new study from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. This is the highest proportion of female directors since the study was first conducted in 2007 (2.7 percent, three female directors), and an increase from the 4.5 percent in 2018 (a total of five female directors).

The Metoo movement has affected

"We're finally seeing some traction," said Stacy L Smith, one of the report's authors, in a statement.

According to Tracy L Smith, the change is partly due to the metoo movement. Film companies today feel that they need to take on a greater responsibility as, unlike before, they have their eyes on the world. More female filmmakers have also been given the opportunity to work with television series and streaming services, which has given them greater dignity in relation to the film companies, says Tracy L Smith.

Continued lack of representation

But even though more and more women succeed as directors, the proportion of non-white female directors remains low. A total of four non-white women directed a film that ranks among the top 100 in 2019, according to the study.

"Although 2019 was a good year for women, we cannot say that any real change has occurred until all women have access to and and the opportunity to work at these levels," said Tracy L Smith.