Today is International Women's Day, a moment to celebrate the accomplishments of women around the world. Yet, in many industries, women continue to struggle to get the respect they deserve.

Gender inequality in the film industry has been a rampant topic for the past few years. Patricia Arquette's Oscar acceptance speech became a rallying cry, bringing the issue back to the forefront of industry conversation. Advocates emphasize that women, despite originally building the industry back in its heyday, do not get equal pay or representation.

More Female Directors in Mexico

While that disparity seems apparent everywhere around the world, there seems to be a growing number of female directors in Mexico, according to Mexican Film Institute Imcine, which delivered a report on the trend on March 6.

The report noted that 25 percent of all Mexican films were directed by women. It is a record-breaking number and represents a 5 percent increase from 2014. That 25 percent represents 35 of the 140 films reportedly produced in Mexico, which was also an increase from the previous year.

Documentary film particularly felt the impact of female directors, who helmed 20 percent of the 49 Mexican documentaries made in 2015.

Notable female directors from Mexico include Maria Novaro, Patricia Riggen, Dana Rotberg and Eva Aridjis.

While the growth in Mexico is undoubtedly a positive sign, it runs in stark contrast to trends in the U.S. over the last 17 years. The number of women directing the top 250 grossing films in the U.S. declined by 2 percent, and women made up just 9 percent of directors in 2015.

Digital Distribution

The Imcine report also addressed the effects of digital distribution, an increasingly available option to filmmakers. While the number of films produced increased to 140, the box office was still dominated by American cinema. The only Mexican films to win the box office crown in 2015 were the animated hit "Un Gallo con Muchos Huevos," which won the top spot in three consecutive weekends, and "A La Mala," which starred Eugenio Derbez's daughter Aislyn. That latter film only took home the box office crown for one week.

Imcine also indicated it is participating in four digital platforms: Filmin Latin, Retina Latina and the websites of libraries in Mexico and Ibero-American cultural institutions. Filmin Latin already offers 1,600 titles, ranging from feature-length to short films. Retina Latina is far broader in its output, featuring cinema from 17 Latin American countries. Retina Latina also features both short and feature-length films.