Female Film Critics 24/375
Blitz opens amidst a terrifying conflagration on a nighttime city street. It’s a moment of feral intensity, and of ferocious intimacy. Just an ordinary firefighter not even thinking twice about doing a dangerous job, because it has to be done. Blitz is not about that firefighter. But the brutal randomness of that opening sequence sets the stage for what is to come.
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British Casting Director Nina Gold, a veteran of more than three decades in the industry, began her impressive career casting extras in rock music videos and before long found herself working alongside her countryman, auteur Mike Leigh. From there she’s gone on to collaborate with award-winning filmmakers like Jane Campion (Bright Star and The Power of the Dog), Steven Spielberg (The BFG), and Sam Mendes (1917 and Empire of Light). Her full filmography reads like a “best of”, with the casts of audience and critical favourites like Bad Sisters, Game of Thrones and Chernobyl down to her. Her most recent project, Firebrand, just premiered in competition at Cannes 2023.
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For her haunting work on Joker, Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir not only became the first woman to win best original score at the Oscars as the category is currently structured, but she also completed an awards season sweep that may well be unprecedented.
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