In a historic moment for the film industry, the 2024 Oscar nominations have witnessed a groundbreaking achievement for women directors, as three out of the ten movies nominated for Best Picture were helmed by female auteurs. This marks a significant milestone in the 96-year history of the Academy Awards.
The notable films contributing to this landmark achievement are Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall,” Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” and Celine Song’s “Past Lives.” This unprecedented recognition reflects the increasing prominence of women directors in shaping cinematic narratives on the grand stage of the Oscars.
The remaining Best Picture nominees for this year’s Oscars include “American Fiction,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Oppenheimer,” “The Holdovers,” “Poor Things,” and “The Zone of Interest.”
Prior to this year’s nominations, the Academy had recognized only four instances of two films directed by women among the Best Picture nominees in a single year. These instances include Lone Scherfig’s “An Education” and Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” (2009), Lisa Cholodenko’s “The Kids Are All Right” and Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone” (2010), Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” and Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman” (2020), and Siân Heder’s “CODA” and Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” (2021). Notably, Bigelow, Zhao, and Heder’s films ultimately secured the coveted Best Picture accolade.
Adding to the triumph, producer and lead actress Emma Stone, recognized for her work in “Poor Things,” became the second woman in history acknowledged for Best Picture and Acting in the same year. This achievement follows in the footsteps of Frances McDormand, who achieved the same feat at the 93rd Oscar ceremony, winning in both categories.
Furthermore, the 2024 nominations showcased a remarkable contribution from women in film production, with seven out of the ten nominated movies having female producers. Among them are Emma Stone, Robbie, Emma Thomas (“Oppenheimer”), Marie-Ange Luciani (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Amy Durning and Kristie Macosko Krieger (“Maestro”), Ewa Puszczynska (“The Zone of Interest”), and Pamela Koffler and Christine Vachon (“Past Lives”).
Notably, the pinnacle year for Best Picture nominations for films produced by women was 2019, presenting eight films with female producers attached, including Kwak Sin-ae, who made history as the first woman of color to win Best Picture for the non-English language film “Parasite.” The consistent recognition of women in various roles within the film industry underscores the ongoing efforts towards diversity and inclusion in the cinematic landscape.
