Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai, Mar 28: The New Zealand-born director Jane Campion was named the Best Director at the 94th Academy Awards on March 28 in Los Angeles.
Her film, The Power of the Dog, a psychological thriller featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as a poisonous but charismatic homosexual cowboy, was honoured with the award. Benedict’s character is tormented by his new sister-in-law in the film.
Jane Campion remarked during her address, “I love directing because it’s a deep dive into tale, but the work of manifesting a world can be overwhelming.The best part is that I’m not alone.”
Jane is only the third woman to win Best Director at the Academy Awards. After Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland won last year, this is the first time the best-picture Oscar has gone to a film directed by a woman in back-to-back years.
In the history of the Academy Awards, only seven women have ever been nominated for Best Director (including Campion). Lina Wertmüller was the first, in 1976, for the World War II film Seven Beauties.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, and Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car were among the Best Director nominees this year.
Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer, as well as actress Regina Hall, hosted this year’s Oscars. The event began at 5.30 a.m. IST on Monday, according to Indian Standard Time (March 28).
