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    Where are the female directors in this year's award nominations?

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 10 January 2023 In Opinion

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    Olivia Wilde
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King), Chinonye Chukwu (Till), Olivia Wilde (Don't Worry, Darling) and Maria Schrader (She Said). These are just some of the female directors that were predicted to receive a Golden Globe nomination this year.

    When the 2023 nominations were announced last month however, none of these female filmmakers (or any for that matter) made the cut. 

    Yes, once again, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has failed to nominate a single woman in the Best Director category, with the all-male nominees including: James Cameron (Avatar: The Way of Water), 'The Daniels' (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Baz Luhrmann (Elvis), Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), and Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans).

    While those nominated are certainly worthy of a Golden Globe nod, the lack of women (especially when there were obvious choices) seems like an intentional oversight.

    And it wasn't just the 'Best Director' category that appeared to rebuff female filmmakers, with all 10 films nominated across best picture and comedy categories directed by men.

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    In fact, only one woman - Sarah Polley (Women Talking writer) has been nominated across all the major categories, listed in this year's 'Best Screenplay - Motion Picture' group.

    Sarah Polley

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    "The fact that the Golden Globes nominated Blonde and not Women Talking says a lot", tweeted one user following the announcement of the nominations. Another called the lack of female representation "a reminder that nothing has actually changed at all."

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    While disappointing, the lack of women nominees is not surprising, with the Globes and major award ceremonies in general having a long history of snubbing female film makers.

    In fact, in the Golden Globes' entire 80 year history, just nine women have been nominated for the Best Director gong, and only three have gone on to win.

    Gina Prince-Bythewood

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    "It seems like we're making progress until the Globes' nominations are announced and not one of the many amazing women directors or women-directed movies are nominated in the top categories," announced the organisation, Women in Film. "And we realise we still have so much work to do."

    Chinonye Chukwu

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    "After 2 years of ostensible 'progress' it's a really disappointing indictment of the state of our industry," added director Madeleine Gottlieb. "You have to ask why films as critically lauded as Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Woman King, Charlotte Wells' Aftersun, Sarah Polley's Women Talking, Sophie Hyde's Good Luck To You, Leo Grande and Till by Chinonye Chukwu (to name just a few) have earned major recognition elsewhere and little love from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association?"

    She continued: "You have to ask why women - and especially women of colour - continue to be relegated to the wings? And perhaps most upsettingly, you have to ask why none of us are surprised."

    We will continue to update this story.

    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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