Kathryn Bigelow and “Firsts”

March 10, 2010 Written by Current Events , Popular Culture , Women

On Sunday night, shortly before International Women’s Day began at 12:01am on Monday, Kathryn Bigelow became the first female filmmaker to win the Oscar for Best Director (view her acceptance speech here). Her film The Hurt Locker, a war drama about a bomb squad in Iraq, also took Best Picture honors. She was only the fourth woman to be nominated in the 83-year history of the Academy Awards. And the way the event unfolded tells us something about where we want the future of women and girls to head as we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month.

Though presenter Barbra Streisand announced the barrier-busting win with "Well, the time has come," Bigelow did not acknowledge the milestone in her acceptance speech. Instead, she offered gracious but fairly standard acceptance-speech fare: thanking her cast and crew, her family, and the troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who inspired The Hurt Locker. As she walked off-stage, however, the orchestra played "I Am Woman (Hear Me Roar)" by Helen Reddy, an anthem of the women’s movement recorded in 1972.

The orchestra’s choice sparked some debate among journalists, feminists, and Twitter users following the show. Was it a dated tune that caricatured Bigelow’s achievement? Or was it an appropriately anthemic song to honor the moment?

Truthfully, it’s a great song to play when commemorating female firsts. The problem — and perhaps what made the song seem annoyingly dated to some — is that we’re still having female firsts nearly forty years after "I Am Woman (Hear Me Roar)" was recorded at the height of the second-wave feminist movement. 

In fact, Bigelow’s reaction, when asked after the ceremony how it felt to be the first female filmmaker to win a directing Oscar, seemed to acknowledge this: "I long for the day when that modifier ['female' filmmaker] can be a moot point." She should know. Throughout the Oscar campaigning process, Bigelow has had to (gracefully and tactfully) avoid the relentless Kramer vs. Kramer-esque gossip about the fact that her ex-husband James Cameron was also nominated in the Best Director category (for Avatar). She’s also dealt with hordes of gawking journalists struggling to compute the notion of an attractive 57-year-old woman making a brilliant war film.

We should honor Bigelow for directing a fantastic film and shattering an important glass ceiling. But as we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month in 2010, we should ask ourselves what the world will look like when there are no more firsts — when women can make great films, or run great campaigns, or start their own businesses, and not have it be a radical departure from the norm.

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  • Paula

    Unfortunately, it is so, why because stoopid men have made it so:

    I totally accept the gender distinction, and view it as a sign of honor for all wimmin everywhere, that she had the (excuse the expression) balls to make this movie, and under constant scrutiny, be so gracious and sincere in accepting the award. I also noticed how Steve Martin tried to take it from her and she held on to it for Dear Life. That, more than anything, evidenced the struggle. And it goes on. I wrote a poem, but not sure if you will censor it.

    I also was so moved by Sapphire’s reaction to the Award of Best Adapted Screenplay; I know her and I know the struggles she’s gone through to get to be a writer, and now the originator of a great film.

  • http://madamaambi.blogspot.com MadamaAmbi

    I’m not an Oscar follower because Hollywood is to reality what Twinkies are to nutrition. Ok, call me cynical, but I don’t think Bigelow’s win will have coattails. I admire her moxie and her ownership of what interests her without regard to her sex. I’m happy for Sapphire, too.

    I wish feminists would get over the “she breaks through” model of social change. Firsts don’t open doors the way we thought they would and maybe we should discuss why not.