Marlee Matlin, Siân Heder and Cathy Schulman Toast in Hopes for Historic Wins at Women in Film Oscar Party
variety.comOscars joined Women in Film (WIF) for their 16th annual celebration to accept their salute from their peers and fellow trailblazers.
The event, held at Neuehouse in Hollywood, was hosted by Oscar winners Marlee Matlin, Siân Heder and Cathy Schulman, all women who know what it’s like to be the “first” to cross the finish line. “Being the first is a significant moment for the advancement in equality, as several of this year’s nominees know well,” said Matlin – who, in 1987, became the first deaf actor to win an Academy Award and is still the youngest best actress winner in history – saluting WIF as the “first organization founded by a group of women who want to make a difference for gender equality in Hollywood.” She continued: “The work that Women In Film and all the advocates for equality do is so important because one day we want to stop celebrating firsts.
Women, people with disabilities, queer people have been here all along and we’re more than ready to be recognized equally by our peers.” Alternately, Heder, whose film “CODA” won the best picture prize at last year’s ceremony, saluted the women whose films were overlooked by the Academy, explaining why she’s still optimistic about things moving forward. “There’s a kind of camaraderie that’s happening with women filmmakers right now,” she explained. “I feel like the louder we are for each other, the more that we can amplify each other’s voices, support each other’s stories, shout about each other’s movies – that’s how we move this forward.” There are a few women who might make history at tonight’s awards – including Michelle Yeoh, who’d become the first woman who identifies as Asian to win best actress and just the second woman of color, following Halle Berry in
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