Every Best Picture Nominee Directed by a Woman in Oscars History — SkimNews
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- Randa Haines directed Children of a Lesser God (1986), the first woman-directed film nominated for best picture, though she was not nominated for best director.
- Penny Marshall became the first woman to direct a best picture nominee with Awakenings (1990), a critically acclaimed drama that earned no wins despite multiple nominations.
- Barbra Streisand made history with The Prince of Tides (1991) as the first woman nominated as a producer for a best picture nominee she also directed, though she missed a directing nomination.
- Jane Campion earned best picture, director, and original screenplay nominations for The Piano (1993), becoming the first woman to achieve that triple feat, and won three Oscars for her work.
- Sofia Coppola became the first American woman nominated for best director with Lost in Translation (2003), winning best original screenplay and marking a milestone for female writer-directors.
- Valerie Faris co-directed Little Miss Sunshine (2006) with Jonathan Dayton, making it the first best picture nominee from a female co-director team, though neither received a directing nomination.
Why it matters: Women have directed only six best picture nominees in over 90 years of Oscars, revealing a systemic underrepresentation at the highest level of film recognition. Despite critical success and historic firsts, female directors continue to be excluded from the best director category, affecting their career visibility and industry influence.
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