Julianne Moore reflected on the importance of women’s perspectives in film while accepting Kering’s Women In Motion Award at the Cannes Film Festival, calling the “female point of view” essential to meaningful storytelling. Speaking during a Women In Motion Talk at Cannes, Moore used the moment to discuss why representation continues to matter both on-screen and behind the camera.

The Oscar-winning actor, who was honored this year for her contributions to cinema, also spoke candidly about the broader challenges women continue to face in industries beyond Hollywood. While discussing recent reports about declining female representation in major films, Moore suggested the issue reflects a larger imbalance that extends well beyond entertainment.

During the conversation, Moore also reflected on how her own relationship with storytelling has evolved over time. As she has grown more selective with roles, the actor admitted she now gravitates toward stories grounded in emotional honesty rather than spectacle without substance.

“It matters to me, and that’s paramount in storytelling. What is the point of view, and how is it specific? I feel it as an actor when the story and direction are specific, and the audience feels it too,” said Moore while accepting Kering’s WomenInMotion Award at the Cannes,  for her career and her advocacy for gender representation in media.

For Moore, however, the conversation about representation goes beyond statistics or hiring practices and into something much more fundamental — perspective. The actor explained that women often become one another’s strongest allies in storytelling, from writing and hiring to creating space for more authentic narratives.

According to Moore, the real question is not simply whether women appear in stories, but who is shaping the lens through which those stories are being told.

Why Julianne Moore says the ‘female point of view’ matters in storytelling?

Julianne Moore believes storytelling becomes more meaningful when creators are intentional about perspective and authenticity. Reflecting on the importance of representation, she emphasized that meaningful change happens gradually through conscious choices, collaboration and ensuring women have opportunities to shape stories from their own experiences.

“There is a cultural assumption, particularly in the United States, that women’s stories are less interesting or smaller, or that if we’re at the center of a narrative, we need to be strong or accomplishing something great, or doing something that is particularly male, if we want someone to watch us — if we want men to watch us. And I think that’s untrue,” Moore added in her speech.

The actor also noted that she increasingly aligns herself with filmmakers who are clear about whose story is being told and why, adding that emotionally grounded storytelling has become more important to her as global realities continue to shape the way audiences connect with film.

What do you think — does the perspective behind a story matter just as much as the story itself? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Aarav Poonia

Edited by

Hriddhi Maitra