The Wounded Lion – Ageism and Masculinity in the Israeli Film Industry

Abstract

One of the intriguing issues connected to power relations in the world of cinema that has yet to be adequately explored is what has happened over the years concerning the dominance and privilege of masculinity as signifying preferred social status. This qualitative study explores this subject based on transcribed semi-structured interviews with 13 award-winning Israeli directors over the age of 55. The research examines two questions: How has the film industry changed its relation to leading, award-winning film directors as they grow older? And, what challenges confront the directors, in terms of their own self-perceptions? These questions capture the collisional intersection between hegemonic masculinity and ageism, because they examine the loss of power attributed to men in the film industry as they reach the second half of their lives. The findings led to the formation of a theoretical model of ageism within the cinematic industry, allowing for the dismantling of the different factors that create obstacles for directors as they get older. The four layers of the model are: arbitrary ageism, manifested in the demands of a rapidly changing industry in a changing world; passive ageism, expressed through encounters with negative attitudes; active ageism, reflected in preventing older directors from receiving funding and from screening their films; and self-ageism, manifested in the directors’ attitudes toward themselves.

Never Ending Stories? Hebrew Writers' Creative Journey in the Second Half of Life

“…Studies conducted thus far have failed to reach a consensus regarding the relationship between creativity, time, age, and cultural spaces. While some research has found that creativity declines as age increases, others have found no correlation; and further studies have demonstrated development in the creative process over time (Aharoni Lir & Ayalon, 2022a; Ghiselin, 1952; Simonton, 1997). The current study illustrates the persistence of creative power and its growth over time.…”

“…These opinions may result in perceptions of older people's creative work as less relevant and less valuable. Indeed, studies have shown that even highly publicized and respected creators are seen as less relevant at this stage of their lives simply because of their age (Aharoni Lir & Ayalon, 2022a).…”

“…The study is based on semi-structured, in-depth interviews [see Appendix B for the question guide]. The questions we chose were based on previous research we conducted among Israeli film directors in the second half of their lives (Aharoni Lir & Ayalon, 2022a). The questions included five main elements that dealt with the following topics: The process of becoming a writer; the representation of age in literature; the perception of identity and age; the perception of changes in writing that have occurred over the years, and the perception of changes in attitude from the environment.…”

“What Is Right and Real – Is the Storytelling”: Masculinity, Media and Creativity

“…This question might be particularly relevant in light of the intersection of different attributes in later life. Such intersection takes into account not only masculinity as a vantage point associated with creativity, but also of old age, which might be subject to discrimination and social exclusion (Aharoni Lir & Ayalon, 2022b).…”

“…They may also experience active ageism, manifested in receiving less or no funding, and difficulties screening their films in Israeli theatre houses and on television networks. Self-ageism manifested in the directors' questioning of their own abilities due their advanced age also served as a possible barrier, which prevents the directors from continuing to create films (Aharoni Lir & Ayalon, 2022b).…”