Best Director Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Other nominees: James Cameron, Avatar; Lee Daniels, Precious; Jason Reitman, Up in the Air; Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds.
Kathryn Bigelow is about to become the first woman to win the Best Director Academy Award. She has already won the Directors Guild Award, while The Hurt Locker has won the Producers Guild Award. The Iraq War drama has also won most best film awards announced by film critics' groups. Bigelow has both the momentum and the moment — as in, it's time to give a Best Director Oscar to a woman. To date, only three other female directors have been nominated in that category: Lina Wertmüller (Seven Beauties, 1976), Jane Campion (The Piano, 1993), and Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, 2003).
Bigelow's only real competition is former husband James Cameron, in the running for the 3D blockbuster Avatar. But Cameron already has a Best Director Oscar (for Titanic). His Golden Globe win was a fluke of sorts — even he looked surprised. Perhaps he shouldn't have been. After all, Hollywood Foreign Press Association voters have always loved big movies; to date, Avatar has grossed more than $600 million domestically; The Hurt Locker grossed less than $15 million.
Academy members also love success stories. Even though The Hurt Locker was one more Iraq War box-office flop, Kathryn Bigelow herself is the embodiment of a success story if ever there was one.
Photo: The Hurt Locker (Jonathan Olley / Summit Entertainment)
She'll win. About time a woman wins that award.
Just finished watching Hurt Locker. I hope Kathryn Bigelow wins for best director. She's earned it.