Over the weekend, the Academy held the biggest night for films, and while most people were pleased with the winner of Best Picture and other major categories a few people felt some directors were snubbed a nomination. Mainly, Greta Gerwig, Director of Little Women. Little Women was nominated for Best Picture. The five nominations for Best Director went to five out of the nine films nominated for Best Picture. While the winner of Best Director was well deserved, many were disappointed to see Gerwig have no nomination at all, or any woman having a nomination this year.
It is important to note that in 2018 Gerwig broke an eight-year streak where no woman had been nominated for Best Director, so when this year’s nominees were announced people were disappointed to see no women nominated once again. The step the Academy had taken forward was erased with their larger step back. While the Academy does include more diversity than in previous years it is disheartening to watch such admired work go unnoticed.
A male member of the Academy was quoted by the Hollywood Reporter saying, “I think Greta Gerwig is really great, but I shouldn’t need a scorecard to keep track of a movies timeline.” This would be fine reasoning, however it is hard to believe the Academy would roll out Gerwig for Best Director but go on to nominate her movie for Best Picture when at the center of every great film is its director. Without the director the movie would fall apart.
Whatever the real reason the Academy does not nominate women for years at a time, many recognize Gerwig and other women directors for their impact on film. While Gerwig is the figurehead of women being snubbed in a major category by the Academy, it is known to happen every year to many directors. This does not mean past winners were not deserving of their win, it is simply a reoccurring thing that has many raise an eyebrow. Hopefully, in the future the real way to win an Oscar is based wholly on talent.
