Nicole Kidman Renews Her Pledge for Gender Equality in Film at Cannes
Nicole Kidman used her platform at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival to double down on her long-standing commitment to advancing gender equality in cinema. Speaking at the exclusive Women in Motion dinner hosted by Kering, the Oscar-winning actor declared, “It ain’t over,” reaffirming her 2017 pledge to work with a female director every 18 months.
Eight years into that promise, Kidman revealed she’s already collaborated with 27 women directors, many on projects still in development. “It’s not just about getting women behind the camera,” she emphasized. “It’s about protecting them—supporting them with a force field of creativity and opportunity.”
The star-studded event drew guests like Charli XCX, Paul Mescal, Dakota Johnson, Julianne Moore, and Guillermo del Toro. Brazilian director Marianna Brennand was honored with the Emerging Talent Award, receiving a €50,000 grant to support her next feature.
Despite these advances, French director Coralie Fargeat noted that women still direct just 13.6% of the top 100 U.S. box office films—a marginal rise from 7.5% in 2015. “We need transformative change, not just optics,” Fargeat stated.
As Kidman and her peers made clear, the push for equity in film isn’t a moment—it’s a movement.
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