To: Firsts
From: Entertainment Muse
Date: March 8, 2010
Subject: Golden Moments

Kathryn Bigelow is the first woman to win for Achievement in Directing. She takes home the Oscar for "The Hurt Locker" which also wins best picture.

Acceptance Speech
"This really is... There's no other way to describe it, it's the moment of a lifetime. First of all, this is so extraordinary to be in the company of such powerful, my fellow nominees, such powerful filmmakers who have inspired me and I have admired for, some of whom, for decades. And thank you to every member of the Academy. This is, again, the moment of a lifetime."

"I would not be standing here if it wasn't for Mark Boal, who risked his life for the words on the page and wrote such a courageous screenplay that I was fortunate enough to have an extraordinary cast bring that screenplay to life. And Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty. And, I think the secret to directing is collaborating and I had truly an extraordinary group of collaborators in my crew. Barry Ackroyd and Kalle Júlíusson and Bob Murawski, Chris Innis, Ray Beckett, Richard Stutsman and if I could just also thank my producing partners, Greg Shapiro, Nick Chartier and my wonderful agent, Brian Siberell, and the people of Jordan, who were, such a... so hospitable to us when we were shooting. And I'd just like to dedicate this to the women and men in the military who risk their lives on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world. And may they come home safe. Thank you."

From The Press Room with Kathry Bigelow
Q.           All through the awards season, you have been reluctant to call yourself a female director.  Now that you have become the first woman to win Best Director, what is your reaction about that, as a woman? 
A.            Well, first of all, I hope I'm the first of many.  And, of course, I'd love to just think of myself as a filmmaker, and I long for the day when a modifier can be a moot point.  But I'm ever grateful if I can inspire some young, intrepid, tenacious male or female filmmaker and have them feel that the impossible is possible and never give up on your dream.

Q.           We met early on when people were    didn't really know much about this film.  So I'm curious:  At what point along the way did you begin to realize that people were a lot more interested in this film than the average film?  When did you begin to hope?
A.            Well, I don't think I ever dared to hope, but I will say that what was extraordinary was the love from the critical community, and that was like wind in the sails, and it just created a momentum that would not stop.  And I hope somehow the critical community could know how much we appreciate it and I appreciate it.  Thank you. 

Q.           I'm wondering, you know, not only to win the Oscar but winning against, you know, James Cameron, your former husband, what it really means? 
A.            What it means.  Well, first of all, I think he's an extraordinary filmmaker.  I have to say, all the nominees are phenomenal, powerful, talented filmmakers, and what an honor.  And for me, how humbling it was for me to be in that company, in that conversation.  So I have to say, for me, it's a humbling experience.

Q.           Hi, Kathryn.  I just want to say thank you so much.  I'm a student at USC, and I'm also the daughter of an Army veteran.  So I just wanted to say thank you for creating this film.  Because my father said in the last scene, when the Army guy becomes a civilian and he's looking down the aisle, he knows what that feels like and I know what that feels like.  So thank you very much. 

And also, in class, we talk a lot about women behind the scenes in the industry.  And Diablo Cody came in and talked to us about how it would take more women like yourself to be behind the scenes to make this remarkable journey mean something.  So what do you have to say to students like myself to be on your heels tonight?

A.            Thank you so much.  And I would not be here if it wasn't for this gentleman who wrote a very courageous and beautiful screenplay.  And I would say    and I don't mean it to sound simple    but just to never give up on your dream.  And, you know, I mean, I've been making films for a while.  It's only about 30 years.  So when I say, "Don't give up on your dream," I mean it quite literally.  So just, you know, be tenacious, but work on the stories you truly, truly believe in, because then no obstacle is too great.

Q.           Toronto, of course, is where you launched your picture, at the Toronto Film Festival.  Here we are, and that was the 2008 festival.  And one of the things that's agonizing for those of us that admired the film is that not enough people go to see it in theaters. 

Do you think this particular night of triumph for you will help encourage the audience that this film deserves Blue Ray DVD downloads, whatever forum this film is going to take, because this film deserves to be seen?  What is it going to take for it to be seen?

A.            Just to give Kathryn a break.  It's an incredible honor.  The Academy Awards® are the pinnacle of the filmmaking community and, obviously, they bring more attention to the film.  And that's all for the best, and we feel grateful for the journey that we've had and just to be up here. 

And we all are reminded every day of how many filmmakers there are out there that don't get their movies made at all and don't get them distributed after they are made and go straight to DVD.  So it's an incredible blessing and honor to be here and, of course, we look forward to more people seeing the film.  But it's been a fabulous ride already. 

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