Distribution is the often-overlooked keystone of the UK’s screen industries—the sector within the sector that determines which stories reach audiences, how widely, and whose voices shape the cultural conversation. Yet, just like production, distribution is not immune to inequalities behind the scenes—particularly when it comes to pay.

Looking at the latest gender pay gap data from major studios and distributors operating in the UK, the disparities are clear (UK companies are legally obliged to publish their gender pay gap data annually if they have 250+ employees). The median gap across six global companies ranges from near parity to a stark 25%. The average gap across the six is 13.2%, in line with the gender pay gap for all UK employees across all industries, which currently stands at 13.1%.

The picture this paints is telling: while some organisations are inching toward equality, others remain stuck in a model where men’s work is valued significantly more highly. In 2018, leading film industry analyst Stephen Follows reported that women held only 35% of high-status distribution roles—positions such as heads of acquisitions or “buyers,” in other words, the key gatekeepers of the film industry. At the current rate of change, gender parity will not be reached until 2040.

The gender pay gap is only one part of a much wider distribution gap. It reflects structural imbalances that also shape which films make it onto screens.

Reclaim The Frame—originally founded as Birds’ Eye View twenty years ago—has played a significant role in addressing these inequalities. What began as an annual film festival has evolved into a year-round, UK-wide (and increasingly international) campaign that champions films written and/or directed by women and people of all marginalised genders, helping them to reach wider audiences.

Between 2017 and 2025, Reclaim The Frame has supported more than 125 titles, including ground-breaking, boundary-defying, and award-winning works such as Booksmart, For Sama, Queen & Slim, Nomadland, Rye Lane, and The Outrun - and currently Hamnet. We work closely with UK distributors and a network of 20+ cinemas to help boost the scale, box office impact of these releases, particularly over their opening weekend.

This support has generated over 40,000 admissions—two-thirds of them outside London, and for an increasingly diverse audience, and contributed towards tens of millions of pounds at the box office for the films we support.

And yet, our published industry data makes clear how far there is still to go. In 2024, only 19.5% of UK film releases were directed or co-directed by women—a figure that matches the six-year average, revealing little meaningful progress. The picture is similar for female screenwriting: while the long-term average also stands at around 20%, the percentage fell to just 18% in 2024. Over the same period, only 0.6% of releases were written and/or directed by an openly trans or non-binary identifying filmmaker.

By contrast, though starting from a very low base, representation for women of colour has improved. Since we began tracking in 2017, the proportion of films directed by women of colour has almost tripled, reaching 7.3%, while those written by women of colour have nearly doubled over the last eight years, rising to 7.7%.

The knock-on effects are stark. Women directors are disproportionately commissioned on lower budgets, making up just 16% of directors on the top 250 films in 2024. Equity of investment is as critical as equity of opportunity—true gender parity in film cannot be achieved until this becomes a reality. Smaller budgets lead to reduced marketing spend, limited release scale, and diminished box office potential. In distribution terms, these films are often set up to underperform before they even reach audiences. And thus the vicious cycle continues. 

According to Reclaim The Frame’s own projections, at the current rate of change, parity in UK distribution will not be reached until 2051—the same year as the predicted closing of the overall UK labour market pay gap.

Closing the gender pay gap isn’t just about fairness in salaries—it’s about reshaping the screen culture we all consume.

When women and people of all marginalised genders are equally valued within distribution companies, and when their work is distributed on equal terms, the choices about which films reach our cinemas, festivals, and streaming platforms become richer, more representative, and more reflective of society as a whole.

The distribution gap is both economic and cultural. Closing it is essential if the UK is to build a truly inclusive screen industry—one where pay equity and diverse storytelling go hand in hand.

Our research drives advocacy for greater inclusion in film, informing strategy and fostering discussion with partners and the media. Alongside release tracking, comprehensive audience surveys allow us to measure impact and pinpoint areas for improvement. The data demonstrates the tangible effect of our support, helping films reach audiences—often underrepresented—across the UK.

In 2025, Reclaim The Frame-supported films received a 97% approval rating. Our surveys show we reach under-served audiences: 34% of attendees were first-time visitors to their cinema, 30% were infrequent visitors, and over two-thirds were from outside the film or arts sectors.

Diversity data highlights strong engagement from underrepresented groups. In London, 38% of audiences were Black or People of Colour, compared with 22% outside London. LGBTQIA+ audiences made up 30%, with 4% identifying as trans—eight times the national census figure. 74% of our audience were female and non-binary, and 33% were under 30, signalling long-term sustainability for films by women.

Disabled, Deaf and neurodiverse audiences accounted for 56% of attendees, reflecting progress in our access strategy. All events were wheelchair accessible and marketed accessibly; 83% of screenings included descriptive subtitles and captioned Q&As. We also piloted partial relaxed screenings, introduced quiet spaces, and audited venues annually to improve provision. Encouragingly, 81% of disabled attendees reported feeling included.

Over the past twenty years—through Birds’ Eye View Film Festival and Reclaim The Frame—our work has shown that there is anticipation, audience, and appreciation for films by filmmakers of marginalised genders, if only people can access them. Just as equal pay is recognised as a cornerstone of gender equity, so too must equal investment in films by marginalised gender filmmakers—across production, distribution, and release—be seen as essential. Such investment will yield the equity, diversity, and inclusion our industry so often claims to champion.

So what can be done to close the distribution gap and better support releases by marginalised-gender filmmakers? Here are the key takeaways from our industry conversations on these issues which culminated in the panel discussion Closing the Distribution Gender Gap at our 20th anniversary weekend celebration earlier this year:

• Transparent pathways to leadership: Ensuring women and underrepresented groups are supported into senior acquisition roles where strategic decisions are made. ScreenSkills and ICO (The Independent Cinema Office) provides training, career development, and insight to support talent from new entrants to executives in film and television. 
  
   
• Flexible working policies: Recognising the reality of caring responsibilities and reducing the career penalties women face. Bectu , the union for creative ambition, and Raising Films actively campaign on this issue.
  
   
• Equity in commissioning and acquisitions: Tracking not just what gets made, but who gets paid what, and whose films get distributed, with targets for balance. Reclaim The Frame is the only organisation tracking UK film releases directed/written by women, and we plan to expand this to include relevant financial data. 
  
   

• Accountability: Regularly publishing and scrutinising gender and ethnicity pay gap data, supported by meaningful action plans. UK companies with 250 or more employees are legally required to publish their gender pay gap information annually. The UK government regularly reports on the gender pay gap.

   

• Diversity: diversity isn’t just tokenism—it’s both ethical and practical. Women often exhibit strong leadership qualities such as empathy and adaptability, traits crucial to navigating shifts in the industry. And retention is as important as recruitment. Pact (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television), the UK's leading trade body for independent film, TV, digital, and animation production/distribution companies, offers resources to support diversity goals.

   

• Broader windows: The industry’s narrow three-day opening-weekend box office window disadvantages independent films, and those that thrive off word of mouth, of the kind made disproportionately by marginalised filmmakers. Similarly, the current awards calendar penalises summer releases, making it harder for films to sustain momentum and gain recognition. Expanding both commercial and awards windows would give these titles a fairer chance to succeed. Insight from O+O presents the case for larger cinemas to offer greater flexibility to help small to medium size releases in the UK reach bigger audiences.

   

• Prints & Advertising planning: Allocating P&A budgets during the development phase, supported by a dedicated P&A tax credit, would enable filmmakers to manage risk more strategically and plan audience reach in advance, rather than reacting hastily once a film is completed. Despite strong advocacy for this type of relief from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee and industry bodies such as the BFI—particularly as a solution to ongoing distribution challenges—it was notably absent from the most recent UK budget. More cost-effective alternatives, either alongside or in place of traditional P&A, include viral marketing campaigns and preview screenings, which can help build word-of-mouth momentum - BFI Screen Online.

   

• “Audience-first” strategies: Building engagement early—through social media and creator-economy tools—can help generate interest well before release, shifting the model from a last-minute push to a sustained audience journey. Our recently supported title - Holloway - is a highly successful example of a self-distributed film that evidences just this. As well as audience building using YouTube, TikTok and Instagram etc, there are also a number of VOD platforms that enable you to distribute your film and monetise.