We all know that only one woman — Kathryn Bigelow (and it has been a long time since we uttered her name) — has won the best director honors. But there have been other women acknowledged for their films in the best foreign language category. Marleen Gorris won for Antonia’s Line. Caroline Link won for Nowhere in Africa. And just last year Susanne Bier won for In a Better World.

This year the 63 films have been whittled down and now nice are left standing until the nominations next week. Only one — In Darkness is directed by a woman — Agnieszka Holland.

This is an extremely talented and accomplished filmmaker who has been nominated in the category before for her 1985 film An Angry Harvest. Her brilliant film Europa, Europa was nominated for a best adapted screenplay Oscar which is huge becuase foreign films rarely get recognized in the writing categories.

Here is an interview I did with the director at the Toronto Film Festival and a piece about the film.

The film will roll out in NY and LA on February 10.

Bullhead,’ ‘Pina,’ ‘A Separation’ included on foreign language shortlist (In Contention)