1992 was called “the year of the woman” so in 1993 before presenting the award for best director I said, “Tonight the Academy honors women and the movies but I look forward to the time when tributes like this will no longer be necessary because women will be honored without regard to gender but simply for the excellence of their work.”

Well the time has come, it’s 2010 – 17 years later and it was with great pleasure that I presented the award for Best Director to Kathryn Bigelow.