Women wins DGA Award and Nod for Oscar Director

I don't know if anyone has been following this but this year apparently a women for the first time has been taking award after award for the Best Picture Director award and for the first time in almost 80 years actually has a chance at winning the Best Picture award at the Academy Awards ths years.

This would not have even caught my interest had it not been for the drama teacher at Roberto Clemente High School(where I teach)had not mentioned it. I thought it was odd that it never happened but never thought much about it. Women have won many awards in Hollywood.

Well apparently true but not true. Yes they win awards for acting and costume design and once in a blue moon screenplay, but never Best Director or Picture. I wondered what the big deal was and it was finally explained to me. The director on a television show, on a film, in a play is the commander. They control casting, control who gets hired, and run the production. In effect they are almost like the COO of a corporation, managing and controlling all the tactical activities. And if the director is like a Scorsese, Spielberg, they are also the CEO controlling the vision for the project.

So apparently that's why it's such a big deal. The director, a woman named Kathyrn Bigelow was not someone I had really heard of. But apparently regardless of her sex, she is well respected and the ex-wife of Mr, Titanic and Mr. Avatar, James Cameron. I really had very little interest inthe film she directed, The Hurt Locker. I assumed from reading about it it was another film about explosions, shootings, war, etc. Another male centric film. But was willing to give it a shot

I actually watched the film at home with my loved one and admittedly was not awestruck. So I watched it again and it was after that viewing that I think I saw what folks were talking about it terms of realism, tragedy, and an honest film about the iraqi war with no poltical agendas. I don't know it's a film I'd recommend because it's a bit tragic and dark, not uplifting, but it is a thoughtful film and I have to respect the honestly in which it was told. No sugar coating, just realism. Sometimes I guess that's ok but me, I like to be carried away to fantasy and fun when I see a film. Or fully enbrace the story like I did with The Godfather, which while tragic in it's own way, had a compelling story of loyalty and family and was fairly self contained.

At the end of all of this, it still strikes me as strange women have such difficulty still getting ahead in Hollywood. But I guess I shouldn't watching how women get portrayed on screen. But this is something of a breakout year. As one who is approaching the 40 mark, it's refreshing to see Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren being showcased in films versus the nymphettes normally shown(sorry ladies). I am sure next year will be different but for a change it's a bit encouraging.

I guess if Best Director is now won by a woman, that just adds another accomplishment to the list.

So maybe things are changing. I'd like to think so. We have had now 3 female supreme court justices, a woman run for president, a woman run for vice president, a woman secretary of state, an African American as president. Here in Chicago likely a women for Cook County Board President when, if you know Chicago politics, is a crack to the glass ceiling if there ever was one.