The Critical Gap

Film criticism plays a crucial role in shaping audience decisions and perceptions of films. Positive reviews and high scores are widely used in trailers, posters, and marketing materials, while aggregator platforms further amplify the influence of critics by providing composite scores that guide public opinion. In this way, critics are key players in how films are discovered, evaluated, and ultimately received by audiences.

Girls On Film, the UK’s leading podcast on women in film, hosted by renowned critic Anna Smith, commissioned new research to examine the realities of working in film criticism today. Founded eight years ago to provide a platform for women critics to discuss films on their own terms, the podcast has released nearly 200 episodes and established itself as an influential voice in the UK’s film culture.

The research, conducted by Forward Thought Ltd with responses from 186 UK-based critics, paints a concerning picture. While the impact of critics has never been greater, the profession faces financial insecurity, job instability, and barriers to entry for underrepresented groups and those outside London and the South East. The findings also reveal a stark gender pay gap in film criticism, highlighting the urgent need to support a diverse, thriving critical sector that underpins a healthy film industry.

Learn more by reading the report found here.