A cinema group in Sweden has introduced a controversial new gender bias rating to shine a spotlight on sexism in films, but critics said the move could lead to self-censorship.
To receive the new “A” rating, films must feature at least two named female actors who have a conversation about anything other than a man.
The rating is based on a test made popular in 1985 by the comic strip artist Alison Bechdel. While the so-called Bechdel Test seems easy enough, many blockbusters actually fail to make the grade, including The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Star Wars films.
Photo: EPA
照片：歐新社
The rating project has the enthusiastic support of the state-owned Swedish Film Institute, which provides funding for virtually every homegrown Swedish movie — and all 23 films released last year.
Nevertheless, the body’s vocal support for the gender bias rating has led critics to complain about state interference in Swedish cultural life.
“It’s naive to think their reaction is not prescriptive. The Swedish Film Institute is a very powerful body in Swedish cinema,” said Jan Holmberg, a film researcher and head of the Ingmar Bergman Foundation.
(Liberty Times)
瑞典一個電影院集團最近引進一項爭議性的偏重女性新評分制度來凸顯影片中的性別歧視；但批評者認為，此舉恐導致電影工作者進行自我審查。
獲得新制A級評等的電影，至少要有兩位有名字的女性角色進行一段除了討論男性以外的對話。
這項評分制度是根據漫畫家艾利森‧貝希朵於一九八五年所提出、並廣為人知的一項測試。儘管這項名為貝希朵測試的評分制度似乎很簡單，但許多熱門電影卻都未能達到標準，包括《魔戒》三部曲及《星際大戰》系列電影在內。
這項評分計畫受到國營瑞典電影學院的熱烈支持，該學院提供資金給幾乎所有的瑞典國產電影，去年上映的二十三部片就全數獲得該學院資助。
但電影學院大力支持偏重女性評分制度，也引起批評者抱怨國家干涉瑞典的文化生活。
電影研究者及伯格曼基金會主席揚‧荷姆伯格表示：「若以為他們的反應不會造成限制性的後果，那他們就太天真了。瑞典電影學院在瑞典電影界勢力是非常龐大的。」
（自由時報／翻譯：俞智敏）
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