Archive · 25 Jan 2026
Natalie Portman Criticizes Oscars 2026 for Overlooking Women Directors
Natalie Portman, a famous actress, spoke at the Sundance Film Festival about the Oscars 2026 not recognizing enough films made by women.
She mentioned several great movies directed by women that she thought should have been nominated.
Portman said there are many barriers for women in the film industry, not just when they are starting out but also when it comes to awards.
She wants people to pay attention to these issues and give women directors the credit they deserve.
Portman was at Sundance to premiere her new film, 'The Gallerist', which is a dark comedy thriller.
Natalie Portman criticized the Oscars 2026 for not recognizing enough films directed by women.
She highlighted films like 'Sorry Baby', 'Left-Handed Girl', 'Hedda', and 'The Testament of Ann Lee' that could have been selected.
Portman believes there are barriers for women at every level in the film industry, not just at the beginning but also when it comes to awards.
Chloe Zhao's 'Hamnet' received eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, but Portman suggested broader representation was missing.
Portman was at the Sundance Film Festival for the premiere of her new film, 'The Gallerist', directed by Cathy Yan.
- Who
- Natalie Portman
- What
- Criticized the Oscars 2026 for overlooking women-directed films
- When
- During the Sundance Film Festival, January 24, 2026
- Where
- Sundance Film Festival
- Why
- Believes there are barriers for women in the film industry and that many outstanding women-directed films were not recognized
Natalie Portman's Perspective
Academy Awards' Perspective
Recognition of Women Directors
Natalie Portman's Perspective
Portman believes the Oscars failed to recognize several outstanding films directed by women, highlighting 'Sorry Baby', 'Left-Handed Girl', 'Hedda', and 'The Testament of Ann Lee'.
Academy Awards' Perspective
The Academy's nominations, including Chloe Zhao's 'Hamnet', suggest they do recognize some women-directed films, though not as many as Portman would like.
Barriers in the Film Industry
Natalie Portman's Perspective
Portman argues that barriers for women in the film industry extend beyond entry-level access and persist in higher levels of recognition.
Academy Awards' Perspective
The Academy's selection process may not explicitly acknowledge these barriers, focusing instead on what they perceive as merit-based recognition.
- Person
- Natalie Portman
- Event
- Oscars 2026 Nominations
- Issue
- Gender Bias in Film Industry
- Films Mentioned
- Sorry Baby, Left-Handed Girl, Hedda, The Testament of Ann Lee
- Platform
- Sundance Film Festival
- Film Premiered
- The Gallerist
- Director of The Gallerist
- Cathy Yan
- Nominations for Hamnet
- 8, including Best Picture and Best Director
Sources
Natalie Portman Reacts To Oscars Snubbing Women Directors; Calls Out 'Barriers At Every Level'
Natalie Portman Calls Out Oscars 2026 Over Women Filmmakers Snub: 'The Exclusion Becomes Even More Apparent'
Natalie Portman calls out Oscars for overlooking female-directed films amid 2026 nominations
