It’s the year 2010 and for the first time, a woman wins best director at the Oscar’s. It’s 2010 and a woman wins for the first time at the Oscar’s. We all remember the reign of “Boys Don’t Cry”, “Little Miss Sunshine”, “Lost In Translation”, “Frida”, “American Psycho” and “The Piano” at previous Academy shindigs but did you know women directed them? Only two of the mentioned films were even up for Best Director. So when Kathryn Bigelow won, I honest to God, made a fuss and welled up in tarsier-eyed glee around my mom who was like em… WHU?.

Bigelow snatching the Oscar from the quintessential balding white male director.

So here’s a little test. Name the directors you know and love. Now, name the female ones. Kinda hard eh? With international women’s day just wrapping up, one has to wonder what a day like that means.

I was just listening to the local radio, and I overheard a DJ and a listener conversing about Women’s Day. It went something like this.

DJ: What does Women’s Day mean for you?

Listener: (spangly singaporean nasalness ensues) Oh, weeelll… It means I think I am an independent woman. That women are strong! Happy Women’s Day Singapore.

Earth to ignorant Singaporean woman, International Women’s Day is a day where women in the past rallied, protested and truly fought for their rights. Demonstrations marking International Women’s Day in Russia proved to be the first stage of the Russian Revolution of 1917. It isn’t just some day where you profess empty words on how you think you’re independent like some mind numbing Destiny’s Child song.

Alright, I’m sorry for raging on your screen. Let’s get back on point here. We wanted a post to celebrate some of the female directors we have adored in the past and Miss Bigelow herself. To all the non-filmmaking related people out there, this applies too. There are still many male dominated fields that could you know, use a little elbow nudge from a lady. And here are the ladies who have made a nudge in mine.

Kathryn Bigelow

When I told Pat Kathryn won, Pat said, “it’s about time”. Unapologetically female, Bigelow once modelled and isn’t ashamed to say so. People question whether it really is a triumph for women that Bigelow won because of the fact that her film was so male oriented. My opinion: Does it matter? To me it doesn’t. She directed well, the performances were strong, it doesn’t matter.

Sofia Coppola

One of my favourite directors ever, and the most well known in this list. I don’t know whether it was seeing her calm and collected presence in the midst of directing a crazy prom scene in the Virgin Suicides DVD extras or the fact that when discussing the topic of her movie, Marie Antoinette, Coppola said, “You’re considered superficial and silly if you are interested in fashion, but I think you can be substantial and still be interested in frivolity.” That and I love her films of course.

Not all great films have to be about deep set social and political change or adversity to be great.

The underrated Adrienne Shelley

I watched Waitress, I loved it. I checked out who made it so I could watch her future work. And I discovered shortly before being picked up for Sundance, someone robbed and murdered her in her apartment. Thanks murderer, there aren’t many female directors around in Hollywood and you axed one for a flat screen tv!

Miranda July

Miranda July comes up in my film classes, my drama classes, writing classes. Perhaps too emotional for New Yorkers claim the Pat, more for Californians claim the Pat. All things considered, NEEDS TO BE KNOWN to Singaporeans, claim the Manda. Lets explore outside the realms of Jack Neo’s cross eyed skanky scandal to the better things in life, shall we?

In the end, it’s a beautiful thing to see change happening and it is. I often struggle through the penis power play going on in the film industry. But being a minority has its perks. I know how it’s like to be on the outside looking in, and I know not to take things for granted. So I leave you with this link and this…

I started out making an oscar lady but it somehow turned into a HOT! TRANNY! MESS! It’s horribleness with a Lost In Translation wig. Booyah, shitbits.