Women in Cinematography (WiC) was founded in 2024 as a call to action by an international group of concerned cinematographers seeking meaningful change in representation at EnergaCamerimage—the world’s largest film festival for cinematographers. What began as a focused initiative quickly grew into a global movement, with widespread support from the entire industry.

As awareness of the issue gained momentum, advocates for equity united to launch a public petition, calling on Camerimage to honor its own published DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) commitments. The petition demanded greater inclusion of women and other marginalized communities within the festival's programming and jury selections. Advocates recognized that fostering diversity at such a high-profile event had the potential to influence broader standards across the global film industry.

The petition attracted thousands of signatures from filmmakers around the world and earned the backing of prestigious cinematography associations and industry publications. This groundswell of support led to some positive changes at the festival—but it also made clear that much work remained, not just at EnergaCamerimage, but across the entire film industry.

Since then, WiC has continued to grow into a respected, global collective of women cinematographers, with members representing regions from Europe to the UK, the United States to India, Australia to Ukraine, and beyond. We support initiatives that champion equal opportunity, ensuring that women’s visions and voices are both seen and heard on screens worldwide.