Kathryn Bigelow with her DGA Award, Jan. 31st
Call me an overzealous feminist (making it extra deadly with a film degree), but the mere fact that she’s a female breaking ground for women filmmakers makes me want to root for her at all these awards – regardless of whether the movie was good or not. But as it turns out, The Hurt Locker is good. It’s being heralded as one of the best of the year, receiving acclaim as a terrific film that shows war in a way that no other “war movie” really has.
Since the end of 2009, movie critics and feminist writers have been predicting that Bigelow would become a sort of “power to the women!” darling in the awards season of 2010. When James Cameron (who also happens to be Bigelow’s ex-husband) won Best Director for Avatar at the Golden Globes this year, those rooting for Bigelow began to feel discouraged in terms of her Oscar standing. But this big win at the DGA Awards re-cements her solid chance at getting the award from the Academy this year.
It would not only be a significant moment for Bigelow and all of her accomplishments; it would also be a landmark for women in the film industry. Because the main problem is not just that women don’t win these kinds of awards, but that – more distressingly – there are very few who “make it” and are widely recognized.
Sure, I could make an inclusive list of plenty of women filmmakers who have made brilliant, under-the-radar movies. But as for those I can name off the top of my head? Let’s see…Sofia Coppola (always first)…Um…Nancy Meyer? (Something’s Gotta Give and the like)…Nora Ephron, I guess (You’ve Got Mail, Julie & Julia)…and now, Kathryn Bigelow.
Notice that two of those names are known for their romantic comedies, unfortunately referred to as “chick flicks.” While this does not dismiss their talents and abilities, needless to say it would be glorious for a woman to win for a well-executed action film. It’s glorious enough that she’s being recognized. Maybe audiences will catch on that not all women filmmakers are magnets to sappy romantic comedies. And maybe Hollywood and the industry will eventually stop pigeonholing women directors’ success.
My (female) film history teacher once said (and I apologize for the language): “They call them ‘chick flicks,’ but do you realize that all the other movies are ‘dick flicks?’”
Yes, most of them are. But let’s hold out and hope that one day soon we will be able to count female directors on more than just the fingers of one hand. And recognizing Kathryn Bigelow wouldn’t be a bad start.
Don’t forget Jane Campion, who directed The Piano (1993), Portrait of a Lady (1996) and, more recently, Bright Star.
I totally overlooked The Hurt Locker at the Philadelphia Film Fest b/c I was thrown off by the weird title…or so I tell myself. That was my loss. I can’t wait to check it out.
Yeah, it’s funny because my dad and younger brother were ON Hurt Locker like, back in May when they saw the trailer. Based on the one sentence tag line, it didn’t interest me, so I didn’t see it with them. Come the end of 2009, everyone’s raving about it so I finally got around to seeing it.
And I have not yet seen Bright Star, but I keep hearing how unfortunately overlooked and underappreciated it’s been. That’s a shame. I’ll have to see it.
I did not know James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow were married! Seeing as Avatar and The Hurt Locker are going head to head at the Oscars, this makes things much more intense.
Also, a pretty sad sidenote: I haven’t seen either of them! I need to get on that.
Tell me about it! I just saw both of them recently, and I still have about 5 more “big ones” I wanna watch before the Oscars.