Talk about Oscar History in the making.
It is amazing that has taken over 80 years to even consider a female director a serious contender for the Best Director category… let alone to actually see her win.
*edit*
“I hope I’m the first of many,” Bigelow said. “I’d love to just think of myself as a filmmaker, and I long for the day when a modifier can be a moot point. But I’m ever grateful if I can inspire some young, intrepid, tenacious male or female filmmakers and have them feel that the impossible is possible.”
*end of edit*
Of course I have dreamed of being the first female director when I was 14 [I wore a pink dress in my dream, very unlike Amy… or was that a nightmare?], though I have detoured from that dream somewhat, it is still amazing to see Bigelow picking up such an honor. I can only imagine what this means for so many other little girls who dream to make films… like I once did, to see a woman being named Best Director.
What it means to them seeing the photo of Bigelow holding that Oscar with such fierceness. It’s just every Girl Power [another shameless Spice Girls mention here] supporter’s dream. It tells you it is possible. It is awesome. Even though I was personally supporting Inglourious Basterds and Tarantino, it is still incredible to think that Kathryn Bigelow was the favorite during the race. A female director was THE favorite to win.
Even that’s a first.
In an industry where many of the stars are women, but so many of them are exploited as just “that pretty actress to look at”, an industry where women turn 35 and are already considered “too old” or where sex appeal is a must. Luckily things seem to be changing… even if it’s in small degrees. With a wonderful Meryl Streep, vibrant at 60 years old, critical acclaim and mass-appeal. Moreover, add to that the many female screenwriters from the last 2 or 3 or 5 years like Terri Tatchell (from VFS!) who co-adapted District 9, or Nancy Oliver who wrote Lars and the Real Girl, or Diablo Cody (I know some of you hate her) for Juno, or Tamara Jenkins who wrote and directed The Savages… and don’t forget Miranda July who wrote and directed Me and You and Everyone We Know.
It is indeed looking pretty good for women in Hollywood.
Now, let’s only hope it is a change in the way they make films and not just a trend that will fade away in… let’s say 5 years, and that we don’t have to wait eight decades for another female director to be seriously considered for Best Director ever again.
Also, hello!? Male directors and their muses~ I love you guys. Without you, there will be no strong female characters on the big screen.
