Agnès Godard breaks silence on industry double-standards

Agnès Godard weighed in on the male-dominated cinematography, where women are still considered fragile.

During an interview with The New York Times, the French cinematographer said, “I thought it was funny because the film was about all these men,” adding, “It was kind of ironic. I was smiling a bit. It wasn’t revenge. But it was funny.” But the milestone moment didn’t generate any headlines. “At the time, nobody mentioned it.”

The veteran filmmaker reflected on tough times for women professionals in the industry over 30 years ago.

“There were some difficulties sometimes,” Godard added.

“People thought maybe we weren’t as capable because we were ‘weak’ or ‘fragile.’ I guess when you do this kind of job, you need to have a very strong conviction about it. Sometimes it’s difficult. But if you find it, you’ll find the strength to get through it.”

In 2001, Godard bagged the Césare Award for Best Cinematography as she became the first woman to get it alone.