Barbra Streisand is the only woman to have ever received a Golden Globe award for Best Director. A mere 34 years after she won, Streisand is calling out the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for ignoring some of 2017’s most-promising female directors – especially Wonder Woman‘s Patty Jenkins.
While presenting the nominees for Best Picture, Drama during Sunday’s Golden Globes, Streisand expressed frustration that all of 2018’s Golden Globe nominees for Best Director were men. She’s noted that female directors like Mudblood‘s Dee Rees, Lady Bird‘s Greta Gerwig (whose film won Best Picture, Musical or Comedy), and Jenkins shouldn’t have been ignored. To clarify, Streisand won Best Director in 1984 for Yentl, and is one of only four women (out of about 340) who’ve ever been nominated in the category since 1943.
“Backstage I heard they said I was the only woman…to get the best director award. And you know, that was 1984. That was 34 years ago. Folks, time’s up!” she said during the award ceremony. “We need more women directors and more women to be nominated for best director. There are so many films out there that are so good directed by women.”
Streisand later elaborated on Twitter, singling out Jenkins for her film’s empowering and hopeful message – while rightfully adding that all three of 2017’s biggest box office draws were carried by female protagonists, with Beauty and the Beast, Wonder Woman, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi earning the most money last year.
I also would have liked to see director @PattyJenks and her film @WonderWomanFilm recognized because it shows how strong women can be, not only as characters but also at the box office. The three highest-grossing films last year were all carried by women.
— Barbra Streisand (@BarbraStreisand) January 8, 2018
Jenkins later thanked Streisand on Twitter.
Wow, thank you so much @BarbraStreisand. You paved the way with your incredible work. Thanks for these lovely words and support. https://t.co/qYWNqDCYNk
— Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) January 8, 2018
Guillermo del Toro eventually won the Best Director award for The Shape of Water and made sure to thank the women, both in front of and behind the scenes, who helped make the film possible. That was great and all, but it didn’t come close to the jaw-dropping shade Natalie Portman threw at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (and the wider audience) while presenting the award del Toro ended up taking home. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’m not going to spoil it. You just have to watch.
Natalie Portman didn’t mince words when it came to the all-male director lineup at the #GoldenGlobes: https://t.co/xgBneo2yuH pic.twitter.com/4f0uIBqtaM
— People (@people) January 8, 2018
[via Entertainment Weekly]