Here’s Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar speech and backstage comments:
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. (via Alt Film Guide)
Backstage comments (via The Wrap)
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 wait for the day when the modifier can be a moot point.
“But I’m very grateful if I can inspire some young, intrepid, tenacious male or female filmmakers and make them feel that the impossible is possible,” she added.
“I’ve been making films for a while. Only about 30 years. So when I say don’t give up, I mean it. …. Work on stories you really, truly believe in, because then no obstacle is too great.
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So inspiring. And what a class act she is!
She’s really a wonderful first “female” winner for this award. She gets the significance but is not playing it up, rather is acknowledging all who contributed to the success of the film. Good for her.
As an aspiring young female filmmaker, this Oscar season, I was so inspired by the people nominated particularly Kathryn Bigelow. What she did with “The Hurt Locker” was excellent and really set the bar for everybody, male or female following in her footsteps. And since I have dreams of making action/adventure films one day, it is especially inspiring for it to be known now that women can make any kind of film they want in Hollywood, not just romantic comedies.
Obama was a really wonderful first “African American” US President. He got the significance but didn’t play it up, rather acknowledged all who contributed to the success of his campaign. Good for him.
She’d be entitled to “play it up” all she wanted. She earned it. Hell the Academy itself played “I Am Woman (Hear Me Roar)” as her stage music. How’s that for “playing it up?”
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