among the films on the list for best picture# was the year's b But many were surprised the nominations for best## director did not include the# film's directo Jeffrey Brown has a look for our# arts and culture series, Canvas.

JEFFREY BROWN: How do these nominations get made,## and why would both Greta Gerwig and the# film star, Margot Robbie, both We ll, Washington Post's chief# film critic, Ann Hornaday,## has been thinking and writing# about this, and she joins me now.

Hi, Ann.

that were nominated in the best picture# category really reflected the wonderful## range of films being made, but not in the# director's category.

What happened there?

ANN HORNADAY, Film Critic, The# Washington Post: Well, Geoff,## I think I mean, I think that this# is a wide range of films,## both in theme, in tone, in approach,# and it's just exactly what we want in## scope.

We want the bigs.

We want# the littles.

We want the mediums.

But the directors branch, when they# nominate the five finalists for the Oscar,## do tend to go with the kind of auteurist,# technically rigorous, ambitious work.

JEFFREY BROWN: A lot of people pointing to# an irony here that the director of a film## smartly critiquing sexism in the culture, she# doesn't get full recognition.

And, to some,## that suggests that that very sexism is on display.

ANN HORNADAY: Well, I can understand that,# but I'm not sure -- I think we need to be## really careful about and maybe a little bit more# thoughtful about framing this as pure sexism.

I mean, let's not forget Justine Triet# made the cut for "Anatomy of a Fall.

"## It might have as much to do, if not# more, with genre than gender.

I mean,## even though "Poor Things" made that cut for# director, generally, Oscars don't take comedies## as seriously as art as dramas.

And so I think# that might have as much to do with it as anything.

And it also -- I think we need to kind of remind# ourselves about how these nominations are made.## I mean, these -- the nominations do# come from the individual branches,## and those members basically cast their ballots# individually, anonymously and confidentially.## So it's not like they're getting in a room# and making these decisions collectively.

So I'm a little bit more hesitant to paint this# with a wide brush of sexism or snub.

I just think,## frank -- if anything, I think it points to just# how rich the choices were.

I mean, these are## five -- we can all quibble.

We would all sort of# make our choice of who we would replace with home,## which is a really fun thing to do.

And I# think it increases our interest in movies.

But at the end of the day, these are really --# let's not forget, these are very strong choices## and extremely well-directed films.

So it's not# as if somebody got in at somebody else's expense.

JEFFREY BROWN: And then what# about in the actress category,## where Margot Robbie did not get an act --# ANN HORNADAY: That's exactly# right.

That's my point exactly.

I mean, and we don't know -- we don't know# vo tes were.

So I just -- even though I know it's# heartbreaking for the people that don't -- that## get up early, and it's also something of# a team sport for the fans of the movies,## "Barbie" did get recognized in many other# categories, including supporting actress,## which was sort of a surprise to me, as# well as best picture and other categories.

So I don't know.

Maybe I'm being Pollyanna, but I# do choose to see this as more good news than bad.

JEFFREY BROWN: We have talked about this a lot# in the past about the lack of representation in## films and then lack of representation# in the awards and the nominations.

There have been many changes made in the makeup of## the academy itself.

Do you see the# results of that ANN HORNADAY: If anything, I see the results# in the increase in international membership.

I think that's where we're really# seeing sea changes.

And I think## it's terribly exciting.

And I think# it returns cinema to its global -- proper global place.

Even though Oscars are# quintessentially Hollywood, the transmission## between Hollywood and other countries and# other cultures is longstanding and rich.

And so I think the degree to which we're seeing# things like "Parasite" and Michelle Yeoh winning## for "Everything Everywhere All at Once," and this# year "Anatomy of a Fall," I just think it suggests## a widening of the lens when it comes to what# we consider movie movies and mainstream movies.

And that's all to the good.

JEFFREY BROWN: Ann Hornaday of ANN HORNADAY: Thank you.