For as long as I can remember, Christmas was a big deal for me. As a teenager, I introduced myself to the cinematic world. From that time, every Christmas was not about the family or the presents, but about the Oscars! I still remember sitting in front of my television, waiting for the nominations’ announcement. It was like I was being nominated. I have managed to connect my passion with my career, so every article I write about cinema is kind of personal piece of myself.
In my world, everybody deserves equal opportunities, no matter the background, the studies, and the gender. Two years ago I was part of the massive wave on Twitter; OscarsSoWhite. I am afraid that this year I will be part of another wave; OscarsSoMale. Before any judgment or conclusion, I have to wait until the 5th of February, when the American Academy will announce the nominations. However, for many people, the Golden Globes is Oscar’s forerunner. So, based on the Globe’s nominations, some points could be made.
First of all, it must be clear that the Golden Globes are totally different from the Academy Awards.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globes) is a small group of Hollywood based journalists, less than 100, who write for foreign publications. On the other hand, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a group of 8,427 people who work in the film industry. Usually, the first group prefers to nominate well-known names, and the second sometimes takes risks. Nevertheless, a safe conclusion is difficult to be made here.
Let’s take a closer look. My favorite movie this year is "Call me by your name". All the critics praised the direction, the acting, and the script. However, the Foreign Press Association snubbed the movie from the category for the Best Screenplay - Motion Picture.
James Ivory transferred masterfully to the big screen the André Aciman’s novel, but the journalists did not recognize his work.
All-boys club
The biggest issue is the director’s category. Some simple questions can be made here; where are the women? Where are Patty Jenkins, Greta Gerwig, and Dee Rees? It’s still fresh in my memory when in 2010 Kathryn Bigelow took home the Oscar for best directing for the movie "Hurt Locker." I recall all the reactions that night when Barbra Streisand announced her name. Before the announcement, Streisand said that "the winner could be for the first time, a woman."
You could see on her face how proud she was. But why? Since 1929, when the first Academy Award ceremony was held, women were not considered equal directors as the men.
That night, for me, was a big win for women. The gender pay gap is another matter that must be solved.
The most important thing is to change beliefs. There are those who believe that women cannot write novels as good as men, consequently, they cannot direct a movie as well as a male director. I do not believe that all the Academies must nominate women directors who do not deserve it just because of their gender, but this year there are women who not only deserve the nomination, but they deserve to win.
Also, there is a belief that super-hero movies have no cinematic value regarding major categories such as Screenplay and Acting. This year, a super-hero movie is considered to be one of the best movies of 2017; "Wonder Woman." It has zero nominations.
Gal Gadot gave us an amazing performance. Some film festivals and organizations recognized her work, such as Palm Springs International, National Board of Review, and Teen Choice Awards. The Golden Globes ignored her.
Moreover, regarding the category of Best Directing, I was wondering why the journalists did not nominate Luca Guadagnino ("Call Me By Your Name") and Jordan Peele ("Get Out"). In addition, there are other films which were left out; "Wind River," "Downsizing," "The Big Sick," "Detroit," and "Wonder Woman." Other movies had only Acting nominations; "Darkest Hour," and "The Florida Project."
Of course, all the above are just speculations and a personal opinion. The only thing that someone can do is to wait until the 5th of February when the Academy will announce the nominations. The big night will be held on Sunday, March 4.