Hollywood will shift quickly: Greta Gerwig

Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig feels campaigns like #MeToo are bringing about change in Hollywood. These have been a seismic few months for women in the film industry. The allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein and others have led to the most positive kind of backlash -- through the #MeToo and Time's Up movements, and the 50/50 by 2020 initiative, which aims to have male-female parity in the business world in two years.

"I think it's going to shift much more quickly now," Gerwig says, adding, "When studios are looking to hire now, they'll ask themselves -- as they rightly should -- 'Is there a woman who is qualified for this job?' That's tremendously important. And again, if I were running a studio, I would think that it's just good business. Because I look at the audience response to films made by women about women that have done incredibly well and I'd say, 'Well, that's a reason right off the bat.'"

Asked whether there were any plans for a coordinated protest at this year's Oscars, in line with the black gowns at the Golden Globes or white roses at the Grammys, both orchestrated by the Time's Up organisers, Gerwig says she is unsure. "I am not aware of a dress code." But if there is any, she is in. "I'm in awe of the people who are collectively working on this," she adds.

The 90^th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will be held on March 4 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.