BIFFes 2026: Women directors call for cinema beyond the male gaze

How often do we see close-ups of male lips in films across the globe? Very rarely, according to a study. However, close-ups of women’s body parts are a norm. It is this double-standard approach to cinema that concern filmmakers Jacqueline Roussety and Nidhi Saxena.

The duo was at the Bengaluru International Film Festival on Tuesday, sharing their thoughts on the topic “How Women Directors are Changing the Language of Cinema”. Moderated by actor-filmmaker Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, the session highlighted the importance of women breaking the glass ceiling in the film industry.

Genius and muse

Jacqueline, a German actor and theatre director, criticised how the film industry views male filmmakers as geniuses and female artists as their muses. Her doctoral thesis focused on the portrayal of the classical relationship between genius and muse.

Ms. Saxena wondered why women aren’t the voice of a story and are reduced to mere objects of desire. “In Govind Nihalani’s Aakrosh, a rape scene doesn’t show skin. The focus isn’t on the woman’s body. It shows the place where the hideous act is taking place, yet makes you feel uncomfortable. That’s real filmmaking, which doesn’t tempt people with the gaze of the camera,” she said.

Ms. Saxena’s film, Secrets of a Mountain Serpent, premiered at the Venice Film Festival, 2025. Set in a 1990s Himalayan town, the film explores a woman’s desire. It tells the story of a school teacher whose husband is away at the border. Her long-buried yearnings are awakened when she gets drawn to a mysterious outsider.

Ms. Murthy, who made her directorial debut with the Kannada period film Aachar & Co, delved into the thought process behind the male characters in the movie.

Men who support

“I showed men who support women. I wanted to say the world has soft and tender men. Sometimes, instead of just focusing on the problem, we must show an alternate reality.” Aachar & Co, set against the backdrop of 1960s Bengaluru, tells the story of a traditional family as they face challenges of adapting to changing times.

Ms. Roussety also pointed out how male characters are portrayed as physically strong, irrespective of their age, whereas it’s not the same with female characters. “You have Tom Cruise doing unbelievable stunts in the Mission Impossible series, and that’s fine. However, he is paired opposite a female actor who is half his age. It’s a disturbing trend. Why do we see young women next to men who are 40 and 50? Where are the stories of women who have crossed 35?”

Ms. Saxena felt female directors should be considered capable of making engaging mainstream movies and not be labelled as “documentary filmmakers”. “That’s why the success of Zoya Akhtar and Kiran Rao is huge,” she said.

Ace producer

The discussion also acknowledged the towering achievement of Parvathamma Rajkumar, the dynamic producer who thrived in the field by bankrolling over 50 Kannada blockbusters. “At first, I knew her as Dr. Rajkumar’s wife. But after learning about her career, I feel inspired. We need more such victory stories in Kannada cinema,” said a member in the audience.