Congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow, Mo’Nique, Sandra Bullock, Sandy Powell, Kim Sinclair, Elinor Burkett, and Mindy Hall for their big wins at the Academy Awards last night. Although only 7% of directors, 8% of writers, and 17% of exec producers are women, if last night is not just this year’s trend we are headed in a great direction.

I will however echo the sentiments of many who were disappointed that Farah Fawcett and Bea Arthur were left out of the tribute to those in the industry who died this year.   This has happened before but it is even more disheartening this year since both were noteworthy actresses who have made film and TV history, each in her own right.

Yet, besides hearing Mo’Nique applaud the academy for showing that it can be “about the performance and not the politics” and watching Bigelow win, this year’s Oscars were a predictable snooze fest despite intentions to shake up the ceremony this year. Overall, I wish Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin had been funnier, the show shorter, and less categories had featured all male nominations, but this is Hollywood, a place where change does not come as quickly as some of us would like.

Tags: academy awards, female directors, first female director, Kathryn Bigelow, lack of females in hollwood, Mo'Nique, oscars