Becoming, The Bridgerton Chronicle, Ali Wong: Don Wong, His True Face, Naomi Osaka, The Power of the Dog… At Netflix, the stories led by women are plural. Whether you’re in the mood for an inspirational drama, a thought-provoking documentary, or just a comedy program, we want to meet your expectations.
This is the vocation of our new collection The female story, illustrated by Twisha Patni. Exploring themes such as ‘Women Making History’, ‘Rebels’, ‘Female Comedians’ and ‘Films Directed by Women’, this collection has been crafted to celebrate the strength and talent of women in all their facets. . “The female story” will be visible on our service on this International Women’s Day and until March 31. But the series, films and shows featured in this collection represent the work we do throughout the year to find, develop and share with the world a wide range of stories told by women or featuring women in the spotlight. And there are still many stories to explore.
To better understand the impact of female-led stories, we sat down with Jinny Howe, VP Drama Series Development at Netflix. By collaborating with female creators, she plays a vital role at Netflix in bringing these stories to life and sharing them with viewers around the world.
Through your position, you see many pitches of stories. What are you sensitive to and what importance do you attach to the representation of the female gaze?
The most remarkable series are often those that offer a fair reflection of their time and society. It is therefore important that the female point of view is represented so that the perspective of these stories is complete. Women legitimately want their ambitions, desires and needs to materialize on screen. I am enthusiastic about the idea of discovering unique points of view on stories that we have already heard many times, as in The Crown, Unbelievable Where Unorthodox. We also see new female creators come up with completely new stories, such as Russian doll by Natasha Lyonne. These game-changing insights ensure these stories are original and engaging for our viewers and for Netflix.
Women have been creating and women’s stories have existed for a long time. Why do you think it took so long for their contributions to be recognized in the entertainment industry?
I recently worked on a series that was set in the 70s and it reminded me that women have only been empowered for a very short time. As society evolves, favoring the emergence of complex female heroines who earn a living and support their families, we see the same evolution of storytelling and representations in the entertainment sector. The Bridgerton Chronicle is a good example of this transformation: a big lesson I learned from my participation in the first season is how audiences around the world received a series that could very well have been watched from above, like the comedies romantics often are. I am also impatient to see the reception which will be reserved for The Partner Track, a series that will air later this year. Adapted from the novel by Helen Wan, this program with Arden Cho follows a woman who tries to make her way in a male-dominated environment. Women-centered stories are not only important, but necessary.
Why do you think these stories speak to female viewers, and even to the general public?
I always say a good story is a good story, period. Viewers want to see themselves represented on screen and to be able to identify with what the characters are going through from an emotional point of view. I have been encouraged by the way a wide variety of audiences have received complex narratives about women, such as the story of Alex in maid. I think that as a human being, you don’t have to know yourself the difficulties she encounters in the series to feel deeply concerned and touched by the hardships she goes through and the obstacles that she crosses.
How much do you think your career has been shaped by the women around you?
I measure my luck to have been surrounded by extraordinary and inspiring women throughout my life and my professional career. My fearless mother raised me not to be afraid to express myself and not to step aside in front of anyone. It is this energy that I look for in my creative partners and managers. I found it at Bela Bajaria, our General Manager Series and Documentaries, and at creators like Molly Smith Metzler (maid) or Debora Cahn (The Diplomat), whom I met at the beginning of our respective careers.
What advice would you give to women aspiring to work in this sector?
Be bold, be fearless. Your voice counts and is important. There has never been a better time for women in this industry. If you take a look at our list of partnerships, you’ll see that we have an incredible range of writers and creators who have made Netflix their creative home – from staples Shonda Rhimes, Jenji Kohan and Regina King to up-and-coming talents like Kalinda Vazquez, Georgia Lee, Regina Hicks and Leah Fong, including superstars Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner and Megan Thee Stallion. The list is just waiting to grow!