Rohena Gera on red carpet in Cannes with 81 women to protest against the gender gap

Rohena Gera’s Sir, which has been selected for Critics week, a prestigious category, in Cannes this year, will be showcased on 14th, 15th and 16th of May. The film has been selected amongst 7 films out of 1100 viewed by the committee.

Rohena Gera walked the red carpet in Cannes along with 81 women from all the professions of the industry in the protest of astonishing gender gap. The intention of the protest was to express how hard it still is to climb the social and professional ladder as woman in the film industry. Since the launch of the Cannes Film Festival, only 82 films directed by women have been honored by an official selection in competition, compared to 1,645 films directed by men, a ratio of less than five percent.

Speaking about it, director Rohena Gera says, ” It was a very moving experience to hold hands and walk with 82 women from around the world on the red carpet… to climb the stairs but only half way, and to hear Cate Blanchett and Agnes Varda point out the glaring inequalities which are so clear when you look at numbers: 82 women vs 1600+ men.

She further adds,” Later I got to talk to others and hear about their experiences their journeys and it was really wonderful to experience their support and solidarity. What’s important is that the 82 of us who stood there stood in solidarity with women from all professions, all countries. Because we all face the same barriers in different ways.”

SIR features Tillotama Shome, Vivek Gomber and Geetanjali Kulkarni in lead roles and  revolves around Ratna, who works as domestic live-in help with Ashwin, a man from a wealthy family. Although Ashwin seems to have it all, Ratna can sense that he has given up on his dreams and is somewhat lost… On the other hand, Ratna who seems to have nothing, is full of hope and works determinedly towards her dream. As these two worlds collide and the two individuals connect, the barriers between them seem only more insurmountable.