– As much as I'd prefer there not to be quotas, as it has the potential to make some people feel as if they've only been picked because they tick a certain box, it's clear that something needed to be done to try and encourage a wider range of nominations. I can't be massively specific as my film knowledge needs more work, but I know there have been plenty of worthy female directors who have been ignored over recent years — Greta Gerwig & Josie Rourke, for example. Representation matters, even if it doesn't result in a win, as you won't get diversity from the grassroots up if the inspiration isn't there at the highest level — it makes you think doors are closed and it'll be too hard to get anywhere. Interestingly, though, because the new criteria sort of have loopholes in them they may not make that much difference — I think only a handful of recent winners or nominees wouldn't make the cut. So is this just another example of performative allyship? Only time will tell.
It's all about balance. I don't need every production to do genderblind casting in modern-dress, say, but I also don't want the majority of films or shows to have white men as its prominent characters or voices; it's not representative of the world, and is also just rather dull. The Show Must Go Online is a great demonstration of this, as it has shown time and time again that you can get phenomenal performances from the most unexpected of places, and tell stories you didn't know were there.
I also tend to use shows and films to learn more about the world; it's definitely the easiest way to pick up things about cultures and countries you may not encounter in real life, and the greater the diversity of voices that can be heard the better.