Mirren's female directors plea (From Salisbury Journal)

Mirren's female directors plea

9:58pm Friday 4th December 2009

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Dame Helen Mirren called for a more women to get behind the camera as she collected a lifetime achievement award at a prestigious event which celebrates female achievement in film and TV.

The 64-year-old actress was honoured at the Women in Film and Television Awards, attended by stars including Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding and actors Toby Stephens, Kerry Fox and Patricia Hodge.

The Oscar-winning star of films such as The Queen, Calendar Girls, State of Play and Gosford Park is also well known for her television role as straight-talking detective Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect.

Dame Helen, who received her gong from veteran actor John Hurt, told how when she started out: "It was all men. If you were lucky there was one woman...

"That was it, everybody else on the set (was a man) and my God it's changed and that's fantastic."

But she continued "It has not gone nearly far enough... I want to see more women behind the camera.

She continued: "We have great women working in this industry. Let's celebrate them with this award."

Receiving a standing ovation at the London bash after clips were shown of her wide-ranging roles, she said: "That was so embarrassing."

She told the gathering: "I was just in the loo... and it was jam-packed with women...

"They were networking, because you know, we can't do it on the golf course can we, so we do it in the loo at the Women in Film and Television Awards."

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