Less than 25% women are featured in this year's San Sebastian film festival lineup.

PalmThe percentage of female participation in the groups scheduled for this year's festival doesn't even reach 22%, a figure that, even so, slightly exceeds the 15.87% of last year's edition. These are figures that members of the MU.MA.RE (Revolutionary Mallorcan Women Musicians) collective have been analyzing since May 2024 and sharing on their Instagram profile. "It's true that there's a slight increase from one year to the next, but it doesn't seem to be a consequence of the Palma City Council implementing gender parity policies. Women's participation barely exceeds 20%, so the increase seems rather fortuitous," they told ARA Baleares. Regarding the issue of parity—and understanding female participation as that of women and gender non-conforming individuals—sources from the collective state that their assessment of the lineup is negative, "especially when we're talking about the city's most important popular festival and a cultural event in which a significant amount of public money is traditionally invested."

In any case, they clarify that beyond the general comment, the fact that each of the events was produced by a different promoter also invites specific assessments. "For example, in the Plaza Mayor, female participation exceeds 50%—it's the only one with a gender-balanced program—while on the stage in Plaza Juan Carlos I, female presence is nil. Let's assume it depends on the level of awareness of the gender perspective that the production companies have," they explain, "although it's clear that the City Council isn't convinced that it's worthwhile to program them."

The members of MU.MA.RE have analyzed 72 music event lineups since the collective's formation almost two years ago, and the average female participation in all of them doesn't even reach 20%: it's 17.32%. "Perhaps there's more awareness of the issue, but that doesn't always lead to change, much less significant change. Some programmers know we exist, and some have reacted, acknowledging the problem and questioning things. Some have even made changes to their programming. Others have simply published us," others have simply blocked us. "But we will continue chipping away at the problem."