Thursday, August 27, 2009

Let's hear it for the ladies.

Robert here, remembering back when the whole 10 Best Picture nominees boondoggle was hitting someone aptly noted that if all or several of the high profile Oscar-worthy films this year directed by women make the Best Picture list, but none of their directors make that much shorter list, The Academy will have some explaining to do.

Truly 2009 is shaping up to be a great year for female directors. And while that stretches well beyond our shores to such formidable talents as Agnes Varda and Clair Denis (who I am in love with) let's look at this through the prism of the Oscars for now.

We already know from the festival circuit that Jane Campion and Lone Scherfig have Oscar-ready films poised to snag acting and tech awards. Kathryn Bigelow has directed one of the, if not the best reviewed films of the summer. And, like it or not, Mira Nair's Amelia is as Oscar-baity as they come starring one of their favorite actresses (sorry Nathaniel) in a big old biopic.

So the question I pose is this: Who makes the cut?

17 comments:

Victor S said...

If any of them makes the cut I trully thing it will be Bigelow.
Just because her movie is the one that look less like a female director movie.

El Velvet de Cierto Pelo said...

And don´t discount Julie Taymor for "The Tempest"...
Great year for women.

Chuck W said...

I'm going to guess Katherine Bigelow and Jane Campion--and, to be honest, I think one of them might win. Crazy, I know... but both have emerged as overdue frontrunners, and I think the mainstream press the Academy might earn from finally (finallyfinally!) embracing its female directors will be both undeniable and irresistible.

Plus: they're both super-great filmmakers, and I really, really would like for them to get some recognition.

Put Lee Daniels into the final five, and you have one hell of a historic night for Oscar.

Wayne B said...

If one of them gets nominated I think it'll be Jane Campion. I think The Piano's stature and reputation will help when voters fill out their ballots.

John T said...

I also think that two of them will make it, and I'm starting to think that one might win. I surely hope it's Campion-she's a genius, and it'd be nice to go to a legend.

Andrew K. said...

Taymor's The Tempest has been pushed back so count her out. I'm hoping Lone is the female director that gets a nod although I won't mind seeing Jane there.

Mariscal said...

Any of those women will win this year because the first LADY to take a Director Oscar will be



SOFIA
COPPOLA.

Karen said...

What if the Academy nominated all of those female directors, that would be a nice change! Yes we can, Obama style. hehe.

Anonymous said...

Saw a screening of Bright Star this week, Campion definitely has a chance but would not be shocked to see her overlooked.

mrripley said...

i have a feeling this will be the year of women es pwith streep heading for her 3rd.

Cinesnatch said...

Best Actress category will probably be filled with majority female-directed performances. At the very least, Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep (doesn't matter which performance).

NATHANIEL R said...

I'm guessing it's not Scherfig. Even if she didn't have that hurdle of being... well, not a man for a heavily male voting body (the director's branch must be crazy percentage wise)... it's the type of film where if even a man directed it, he'd be shut out. The quintessential actor/screenplay film.

i still doubt any of them will make the cut. Campion is usually divisive and Bigelow is doing a picture that didn't really break out (sigh) and don't they like their war films a little more sentimental and BIG?

just sayin'.

Arkaan said...

Nathaniel, would you argue Black Hawk Down was sentimental?

Bigelow's the frontrunner of the four, I think. What I expect will happen is that the critics awards will go apeshit for her and she'll be the biggest "critics awards" winner. Ditto the film itself.

Scherfig is the small indie film - very writer and actor but not director.

Campion's in between. Really depends on how Bright Star goes over.

Nair? Doubtful.

Anonymous said...

Nathaniel, I think you're a lttle pessimist (But I undderstand your statement).

I'm agree with Arkaan:

*Bigelow and Daniels will be (At least in my perception) the critics frontrunners.
*"The Hurt Locker" isn't exactly sentimental. It's a better "Black Hawn Down".
*Sometimes they love the comebacks: Stephen Daldry in 2008, Roman Polanski in 2002... So maybe Jane Campion will have the same luck: Biopic, Romantic Angle, British epic porduction...

I think Bigelow will win and is possible nominations for Campion and Daniels.

NATHANIEL R said...

i would not argue that black hawk down is sentimental no... but Ridley Scott was an Oscar and a populist favorite and you can't really argue either of those things for Bigelow.

I've been in her corner since Near Dark (20 years. eep) so i feel quite happy that she's finally earning praise for doing what she's always done well: tension, action scenes, etcetera.

i hope y'all are right about THE HURT LOCKER. i just think it's awards trajectory would have to be the weirdest ever. think how long ago it got those Spirit nominations

Glenn said...

And only Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor spirit nominations at that! Funny thing is, if it were eligible this year you just KNOW it'd be nominated for everything, and over all the random bizarre things that body throw in (like TV movies simply because the lead actor had a big year in film but was ineligible - hello Jamie Foxx!)

adam k. said...

Kathryn Bigelow will win. I have a feeling.

Makes sense that the first female director will win for what is basically a "man's picture." She's a lady who can beat the boys at their own game. I think they respect that.

I also think this year will shape up as one of those without a clear frontrunner, like 2006. So they may choose to make a statement with their director winner. And I think best picture will be unpredictable and could go any which way, with 10 to choose from. Probably whatever people really love the most. Up, even.