Open Letter to the British Film Institute

I would question Munroe’s experience in film making. Fronting one one-hour documentary does not a film maker make. I’m sure you could have found a woman with more edperience or is the headline more important?

I am not signing this because I take issue with Munroe being a woman, legally she is, and we have no choice but to accept that. Clearly this is a case of whether she is the best choice or even qualified to be a keynote speaker on film and at this event – why I am signing this petition. As for all the opportunist hate peddlers, really appalling, shame on you.

Please support women representing women.

patriarchy strikes again. women born women need to strike out against this kind of male dominance. men have been taking women's jobs for, like, forever. this is pandering to the smallest minority of the population. a narcissistic fashioning of what women are supposed to be, and telling us how to behave....hell NO

I vote Sheila Jeffreys to be the woman arguing with MB. LOL.

How can the organisers have missed the point of their own conference? It probably epitomises the ongoing battles faced by women in the workplace. Unbelievable.

As a lover of arthouse and independent cinema, I am deeply disappointed by BFI's inappropriate choice of keynote speaker for this centrepiece event.

I didn’t have any problem with Munroe until she said in her documentary ‘A vagina is just a body part’ then I knew Munroe could never know what it is to be a woman.

Agree but if he has already been invited perhaps they could have a woman and man as joint keynote speakers in an interesting conversation on stage. Best wishes.

Stop erasing and appropriating women.

If MB had a shred of decency or cared a hoot about women he should stand down NOW from this engagement. Failing that, all 1500 of us should turn up and BOO when he takes the stage.

While I recognise the importance of furthering the debate on gender, I find this really disappointing.

As a BFI member and a writer I am astounded you'd make such a stupid appointment for a key speaker when there are loads of female filmmakers out there with a valuable experience to impart to other women. Feel like cancelling my membership!

This is absurd and insulting. I’m a BFI who won’t be renewing if this isn’t addressed.

Irrational decision as Bergdorf is violently opposed to women representing themselves when & where their rights , problems & interests differ from those of trans women.

Not only is he a male, he is a pretty offensive, narcissistic one, interested in nothing but his own agenda.

BFI, you're so important, this is such a missed opportunity, please reconsider. So many incredible women film makers to choose from.

I find it incredible that someone with so little experience in film making would be asked to give a keynote speech. Whilst I am sure that MB has faced her own challenges, they were not those that face young females. Although only 27% of production roles are filled by females, I'm sure if you had looked a bit harder you could have found a female with experience in either the film world, or in the expectations that are placed on young females. Ideally it would have been both, but I do appreciate that might have taken a little effort.

Please support female film-makers, not not misogynists

The BFI, like many other organisations lately, appear to have been brainwashed by the trans-lobby into thinking that trans women are women and can represent them. Trans women have their own struggles, but their attempts to appropriate women's rights (largely through bullying tactics) only serves to make the struggles of women, particularly in male dominated industries such as film, all the harder.