Ronald Armstrong

"The Hurt Locker" Wins Best Picture



Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010

by Ronald Armstrong
RonCineTV

I was out late Sunday night taking in Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" which I thought was amazing. Check it out when you get a chance. When I got home, I found out that ABC was back on Cablevision. Earlier, they pulled the channel due to a dispute over money. But, now the channel was back on, just in time for the Oscars.

I had no intentions of watching the Oscars. I feel that the films nominated were done so for commercial reasons. But, as I tuned in for the last few minutes, I was pleasantly surprised that Kathryn Bigelow won best director for the "The Hurt Locker." She was so graceful in her acceptance speech, as it was the first time ever that a woman won for Best Director. Finally!!!!

As the night went on, things got even better. They quickly announced the best picture and it was, of course, "The Hurt Locker" I was overjoyed. This small film that made almost no money at the box office managed to take home six Oscars, beating out some of Hollywood's multi-million dollar flicks. But, in reality, this was no surprise to me. I saw "The Hurt Locker" the week it came out in the theatres. I called my friends and told them to see it.

I even said how amazing it was for a film like that to be directed by a woman when such testosterone driven pictures were usually the domain of men. But, I am not satisfied with this small victory. I want to see women breakout in front of the screen in non-traditional roles and not just be portrayed as housewives, prostitutes or sex kitties. Let's tell their stories in everyway. Why not soldiers, Wall Street wizards, CEOs, racecar drivers, explorers, and so much more?

This is the reason I love Tim Burton's retelling of "Alice in Wonderland." The main point of the film is to tell women that you do not have to stay within your role. You can be more than what society wants and expects you to be. And, this is exactly why I made "War Is A Bitch." I wanted to show women in the same light as, and on par with, the men. I wanted audiences to see women differently, not how they have seen them in the past, but as heroes and warriors. We talk so much about our men overseas, but say so little about the brave women. Have they been forgotten?

That said, I think Kathryn Bigelow's achievement is a step in the right direction. We have so far to go. I know I have done my part with "War Is A Bitch." In fact, I hope that other filmmakers will be inspired by it and seek to hire more women in roles that bring to light their true talents and not just their external beauty. Let's take a moment to celebrate this victory but also to prepare for the fight ahead.

Ronald K. Armstrong is a writer and an independent filmmaker. He has just recently completed his film "War Is A Bitch" at: http://www.warisabitch.com

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