Academy Award for The Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow is the first ever for a woman director, then wins Best Picture too

By Robin Rowe

The Hurt Locker Kathryn Bigelow, first woman to win Oscar as Best Director

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 3/7/2010 – “This is the moment of a lifetime,” says The Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow. “I would not be standing here if it was not for Mark Boal who risked his life and wrote such an extraordinary screenplay.” Mark Boal also won an Oscar tonight for Best Screenplay.

“I think the secret to directing is collaborating,” says Bigelow as she thanks her producers, actors and crew.  ”I thank the people of Jordon who were so hospitable to us.” After accepting the award for Best Director, Bigelow was called back to the stage to accept the award for Best Picture.

Kathryn Bigelow is the first female director to win an Oscar. A hundred years ago, many women, including Mary Pickford, were directors. By the end of the Twentieth Century, there were almost none. That’s changed in the last few years as many female directors have emerged making major motion pictures.

In winning for Best Director and for Best Picture, Kathryn Bigelow beat ex-husband James Cameron and Avatar in both categories. Other nominees for Best Director include Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds, Lee Daniels for Precious, and Jason Reitman for Up in the Air.