Which Best Picture winner was the first directed by a woman?

The Hurt Locker was the first Best Picture winner directed by a woman. Kathryn Bigelow directed the 2008 Iraq War drama, which won the top Oscar at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010.

Bigelow also became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director, making the film’s victory a landmark in Oscar history. The film won six awards from nine nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay for journalist Mark Boal.

The story follows an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team working in Iraq and focuses on the psychological pressures of combat. Boal’s screenplay drew on his experience accompanying a U.S. Army EOD unit while reporting in Iraq. The film was independently produced on a relatively modest budget and received major critical acclaim.

Nomadland later became the second Best Picture winner directed by a woman, with Chloé Zhao also winning Best Director. Chicago and The Piano were directed by Rob Marshall and Jane Campion, respectively, but neither won Best Picture.