This year at the 2018 Oscar awards there was a dominating theme of empowered women, empowering each other.
It was heard through the jokes cracked by Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph. In the voice of Mary J. Blige who became the first person ever nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Original Song in the same year.
It was felt when Weinstein accusers Ashley Judd, Annabella Sciorra and Salma Hayek stood together on stage.
However after the speeches were read, awards given and champagne sipped, the resounding feeling of girl power remained.
Fellow nominees – professional rivals some might say – Saoirse Ronan, Sally Hawkins, Margot Robbie and Meryl Streep, were all up for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
They lost to Frances McDormand’s performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
The four ‘losing’ women embraced one another in a moment of solidarity.
The photo gave us the warm and fuzzies because while the past six months in Hollywood have bought an unthinkable amount of abuse and harassment to the fore, it’s also allowed us to celebrate, support and demand for more female voices to be heard.
Despite the fact that McDormand was missing in the hug – presumably celebrating her win or speaking to press, her vibrant acceptance speech shone a spotlight to all women working in film, and she demanded for better and more inclusive industry. Something that her fellow nominees immediately supported her with.
