Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, set the record for best reviews at Rotten Tomatoes. Saoirse Ronan is the star of the film. Saoirse won Best Actress at the Gotham Awards which moves her into very strong position for an Oscar nomination for Best Actress which, if it happens, would be her third nomination in 10 years. She’s 23 years old.
What about Greta though? Lady Bird has performed well at the specialty box office. The film is critically acclaimed. The acting is critically acclaimed.
So….
Are they just going to give her a screenplay nomination and call it a day? Or will she be included among the best directors of the year? Director nominations, as you know, are almost always reserved for men.
And what about Dee Rees? Dee Rees is the director of Mudbound, currently sitting at 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Sarah reviewed it a couple of weeks ago and called it a “classic”. She even compared it to Giant. Will a black female director of one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year be considered for a Best Director nomination?
There’s also Jordan Peele to consider. He, of course, wrote and directed Get Out, also one of the most praised films of 2017. If Greta, Dee, and Jordan are in (and that’s a big IF), then it’s names like Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk), Steven Spielberg (The Post), Martin McDonaugh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbings, Missouri), and Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name), Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape Of Water), and Joe Wright (Darkest Hour) who are angling for the last two spots. How do you think the Academy, made up of so many old white men, is going to break that down?
