Prior to the announcement of this year’s nominees, it was guaranteed that 2021’s Academy Awards would be unlike any of the ceremonies beforehand given the state of the film industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the lows filmmakers have felt over the past year, some good news emerged with the announcement of the nominees for directing.
For the first time in the history of the Oscars, two women — Chloé Zhao and Emerald Fennell — have received nominations in the category. Despite this being the 93rd Academy Awards, only seven women have been nominated for directing in the history of this award ceremony, but hopefully more will be recognized in the future. These are the films that earned these women their nominations.
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Lina Wertmüller – Seven Beauties
It wasn’t until the 49th Academy Awards that the first woman would be nominated for directing. Lina Wertmüller is an Italian director and a screenwriter, with her directing and screenwriting debut being The Basilisks. She would direct and write several other films, like Let’s Talk About Men and The Seduction of Mimi, but it was Seven Beauties that made her the first woman to be nominated by The Academy for directing.
The film follows Pasqualino, a small-time criminal living in World War II Italy, after he kills the man who forced his sister into prostitution. From there, the film explores the consequences of his actions, as well as Italy and Germany’s descent into fascism. While she did not win for directing, Wertmüller won an honorary award from The Academy in 2020.
Jane Campion – The Piano
17 years later, The Academy would nominate Jane Campion for The Piano. The film is about a Scottish woman’s move to New Zealand. She leaves her country for an arranged marriage, bringing her young daughter and piano along with her; however, things take a turn after she meets another man. While it didn’t win for directing, Holly Hunter won for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Anna Paquin won for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Campion also won for Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
Campion has had a rich filmography, with 1989’s Sweetie being her first theatrical feature film, which she wrote and directed. She also directed The Portrait of a Lady, Holy Smoke and Bright Star. She’s working to this day, with her latest project, The Power of the Dog, set to release in 2021. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst, and it’s adapted by Campion from Thomas Savage’s novel of the same name.
Sofia Coppola – Lost in Translation
Sofia Coppola’s film career started when she was only an infant, appearing in an uncredited role in The Godfather, which was directed by her father, Francis Ford Coppola. However, her directing and screenwriting debut would be with The Virgin Suicides. Her next feature film would be Lost in Translation, which was nominated in the following categories: Best Picture, Directing and Actor in a Leading Role. It would also win Coppola an Oscar for her original screenplay.
This film is about a fading movie star meeting an estranged young woman overseas in Japan. The two develop an unexpected bond, one that explores themes of isolation and connection, creating a melancholic yet loving story. Other films she’s directed include Marie Antoinette, The Bling Ring, The Beguiled and On the Rocks.
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
It wasn’t until the 82nd Academy Awards that a woman would win for directing. Going against James Cameron’s Avatar, Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, Lee Daniels’ Precious and Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air, Kathryn Bigelow came out on top, and her film, The Hurt Locker won in the following categories: Best Picture, Writing (Original Screenplay), Film Editing, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing and, of course, Directing.
The movie is about Staff Sgt. William James and his bomb-disposal unit in Baghdad. Along with exploring the dangers of this job, the film takes a look at how war stays with someone, even after they return home. While she would not receive another nomination for directing, her film Zero Dark Thirty would be nominated for Best Picture in 2013.
Greta Gerwig – Lady Bird
2017’s Lady Bird would receive five nominations in 2018, including Best Picture, Original Screenplay, Directing, Actress in a Supporting Role and Actress in a Leading Role. Greta Gerwig’s film is a coming of age tale about the titular Lady Bird, a teen navigating her last year of high school. As she looks forward to a more cultured life outside of Sacramento, she also comes to terms with her relationships at home before departing for college.
Starting out as an actress, Gerwig would transition into the role of writer, with titles like Frances Ha and Little Women under her belt, and the latter was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2020. As for directing, Lady Bird was Gerwig’s second film, and Little Women was her third. She’s also slated to direct and write the upcoming Barbie, which will star Margot Robbie as the titular character.
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland
Chloé Zhao is the first woman of color to be nominated in this category. The news of her nomination comes less than a month after her win at the Golden Globes, where she became the second woman to win for directing, and the first woman of color to achieve this. Her first feature film was Songs My Brother Taught Me, and her next project is Eternals for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Nomadland, which has six Oscar nominations, is about a woman who’s lost everything during the Great Recession. She lives her life out of a van and travels state to state for work, developing a community amongst others who’ve found themselves in her position. Along with her historic win at the Globes, Zhao’s Nomadland would win for Best Picture – Drama. Along with directing the film, Zhao acted as an editor, writer and producer for Nomadland, earning Oscar nominations in these positions’ respective categories.
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Emerald Fennell was busy this year. Along with playing Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown, Promising Young Woman — Fennell’s feature directorial debut — would premiere in late 2020. This would also be the first feature screenplay she’d write; however, she has also written for shows like Drifters and Killing Eve.
Promising Young Women is about the protagonist seeking a unique form of vengeance and justice against those who take advantage of women, later targeting the people who played a role in her personal tragedy. While this is her first time directing and writing a feature, Fennell’s film has left a powerful impact, being nominated for five Oscars, including Best Motion Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay, Film Editing and Actress in a Leading Role.
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