Raphael Stevens

Medical workers converse among themselves at a quarantine center for Covid-19 coronavirus infected patients at a banquet hall that was converted into an isolation center to handle the rising cases of infection on April 15, 2021 in New Delhi, India.Anindito Mukherjee | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesLONDON — The U.S., Canada and U.K. are among some of the high-income countries actively blocking a patent-waiver proposal designed to boost the global production of Covid-19 vaccines.It comes as coronavirus cases worldwide surge to their highest level so far and the World Health Organization has repeatedly admonished a “shocking imbalance” in the distribution of vaccines amid the pandemic.Members of the World Trade Organization will meet virtually in Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday to hold informal talks on whether to temporarily waive intellectual property and patent rights on Covid vaccines and treatments.The landmark proposal, which was jointly submitted by India and South Africa in October, has been backed by more than 100 mostly developing countries. It aims to facilitate the manufacture of treatments locally and boost the global vaccination campaign.Six months on, the proposal continues to be stonewalled by a small number of governments — including the U.S., EU, U.K., Switzerland, Japan, Norway, Canada, Australia and Brazil.”In this Covid-19 pandemic, we are once again faced with issues of scarcity, which can be addressed through diversification of manufacturing and supply capacity and ensuring the temporary waiver of relevant intellectual property,” Dr. Maria Guevara, international medical secretary at Medecins Sans Frontieres, said in a statement on Wednesday.”It is about saving lives at the end, not protecting systems.”The urgency and importance of waiving certain intellectual property rights amid the pandemic have been underscored by the WHO, health experts, civil society groups, trade unions, former world leaders, international medical charities, Nobel laureates and human rights organizations.Why does it matter?The waiver, if adopted at the General Council, the WTO’s highest-level decision-making body, could help countries around the world overcome legal barriers preventing them from producing their own Covid vaccines and treatments.Advocates of the proposal have conceded the waiver is not a “silver bullet,” but argue that removing barriers toward the development, production and approval of vaccines is vital in the fight to prevent, treat and contain the coronavirus.Conversely, pharmaceutical industry trade associations are against the waiver.In a statement published late last year, Thomas Cueni, director-general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations, argued that diluting national and international intellectual property frameworks would be “dangerous and counterproductive.”Instead, he argued the focus should be on science and innovation rather than “undoing the very system that supports it.”To date, an average of one-in-four people in high-income nations has received a Covid vaccine, compared to one-in-over-500 for people in low-income countries.At the current rate, the bulk of the adult population in advanced economies is expected to have been vaccinated against the virus by the middle of next year, whereas the timeline for poorer economies is likely to stretch to 2024 — if it happens at all.’A scandal that affects us all’The world leaders opposed to the policy are coming under intensifying pressure to change course.In one possible shift in tone, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said last week that “significant inequities we are seeing in access to vaccines between developed and developing countries are completely unacceptable.”Tai added that mistakes that had resulted in “unnecessary deaths and suffering” during the HIV/AIDS epidemic must not be repeated. However, the U.S. is yet to clarify whether it has changed its position on the waiver.The European Commission has previously said waiving patents will not solve production capacity problems, reportedly claiming instead that policymakers need to find measures “to preserve the incentives to innovate.”A spokesperson was not immediately available when contacted by CNBC on Thursday.President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.Thierry Monasse | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesAndrew Stroehlein, European media director of Human Rights Watch, said via Twitter on Thursday the fact that high-income countries were “throttling vaccine production globally by blocking the TRIPS waiver — a proposal at the WTO to temporarily waive some intellectual property rules for medical products — is a scandal that affects us all.”His comments come shortly after The People’s Vaccine Alliance found that two-thirds of epidemiologists surveyed at some of the world’s leading academic institutions warned Covid mutations could render current vaccines ineffective in a year or less. The survey, published on March 30, interviewed 77 epidemiologists from 28 countries.”It’s galling to hear pharma (companies) moan that a temporary waiver would ‘disincentivize’ them from making future vaccines. Apart from bordering on extortion, it’s ahistorical. What incentivized them last time was our taxes. Our governments poured billions into developing vaccines,” Stroehlein said.”They could be thus incentivized again in future, obviously.” More

A Southwest Airlines jet leaves Midway Airport on in Chicago, Illinois.Scott Olson | Getty ImagesAmerican Airlines posted its fifth consecutive quarterly loss on Thursday, while Southwest Airlines swung to a profit, boosted by federal payroll aid.Both carriers have noted an improvement in travel bookings and plan to increase flying during the peak spring and summer months as more people are vaccinated against Covid-19 and tourist attractions reopen.American said it is planning to operate second-quarter capacity that’s 20% to 25% less compared with the same quarter of 2019, while Southwest said it will fly only slightly less this June than the same month of 2019 and 15% less in the second quarter over 2019.American’s shares were up more than 3% premarket and Southwest’s were more than 2% higher.American Airlines posted a $1.25 billion net loss. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier, like its large-carrier rivals Delta and United, has been forced to do without much of the business and international travel revenue airlines have long relied on. American’CEO Doug Parker said business travel demand is starting to show some improvement but is still far below pre-pandemic levels.American’s first-quarter revenue came in at just over $4 billion, down nearly 53% from the more than $8.5 billion it posted a year earlier and below analysts’ expectations. Adjusting for one-time items, American had a per-share loss of $4.32, a penny more than analysts’ estimates.”The pandemic is far from over. We have to continue to fight like never before and ensure that when the green flag drops, American is out in front,” Parker and President Robert Isom said in a note to employees. “But as our world makes daily strides in COVID-19 vaccination efforts, customers are returning to travel and there is no doubt the pace of the recovery is accelerating.”Better demand is helping both carriers trim their cash burn. American had an average daily cash burn of $27 million in the first quarter, which fell to $4 million in March. Southwest, meanwhile, said it expects to get to breakeven core cash flow “or better” by June.The Dallas-based airline posted first-quarter net income of $116 million, compared with a $94 million loss a year earlier. Its first-quarter profit was the result of more than $1 billion in federal aid that offset its labor costs.Southwest’s revenue fell to $2.05 billion, down more than 51% from last year and slightly below the $2.07 billion Wall Street analysts were expecting. Southwest posted an adjusted per-share loss of $1.72, less than the $1.85 a share analysts forecast. More

In this articleDISNFLXTEzra Miller, Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot star in “Justice League.”Source: Warner Bros.Zack Snyder’s cut of “Justice League” may have been a hit with fans, but it did little to move the needle for HBO Max subscriptions.On Thursday, AT&T, which owns WarnerMedia, revealed that its streaming service HBO Max and its premium cable offering HBO added 2.7 million domestic subscribers during the first quarter.Just days before the highly anticipated release of the Snyder Cut on March 18, WarnerMedia increased its subscriber expectations, predicting between 120 million and 150 million global users for HBO Max and HBO by the end of 2025.In total, HBO Max and HBO have a combined 44.2 million subscribers domestically, up from the 41.5 million reported at the end of the fourth quarter. Globally, the services have less than 64 million subscribers.This growth is slower than that of other streamers on the market. Netflix, which has been steadily growing for years, added 3.98 million subscribers during the same period.Disney won’t reveal its subscriber growth for the three-month spread between January and March until May, but during the previous three-month period, it added 21.2 million new accounts.HBO Max had several high-profile releases during the first quarter including “Tom & Jerry” and “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which were part of WarnerMedia’s strategy to provide movie theaters with content and pad its streaming service.The monster movie “Godzilla vs. Kong” has dominated the domestic box office, setting records for movies released during the pandemic. It also drew the largest audience on HBO Max, the company said.”The same-day release of movies in theaters and on HBO Max has been a success,” said Pascal Desroches, chief financial officer at AT&T. “It has provided theaters with a steady flow of content in a pandemic-challenged environment and it’s also been a great catalyst for subscriber growth at HBOMax.”The Snyder Cut, which did not follow this strategy and was an exclusive launch on HBO Max, was expected to also help drive subscriber growth. Particularly, after the company shelled out an estimated $30 million to $70 million on reshoots and post-production.WarnerMedia declined to comment on the project’s financial terms.”It’s a marathon, but I didn’t think a ton of people would sign up for $15 a month to watch a movie,” said Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush. “So as long as they are growing, I think they are on the right path.””The better question is about the wisdom of day-date film launches like ‘Godzilla vs. Kong,'” he added. “With only 2.7 million new subscribers, it’s hard to justify killing a large portion of theatrical revenues by supporting HBO Max, and the problem is exacerbated as the economy reopens and more people are vaccinated.” More

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the COVID-19 response and the state of vaccinations as Vice President Kamala Harris looks on at the South Court Auditorium of Eisenhower Executive Office Building on April 21, 2021 in Washington, DC.Alex Wong | Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden announced Wednesday that his administration had reached its goal of 200 million Covid vaccine shots administered during his first 100 days in office, and touted that half of U.S. adults, and 80% of seniors, have received at least one shot.The president had originally aimed for 100 million shots in 100 days, a goal that drew criticism for being too conservative. The administration hit that target in 58 days.Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwardsIn a White House speech, Biden also remarked that the country was entering a “new phase” of the vaccination effort after focusing primarily on high-risk groups such as healthcare workers and nursing home residents for the initial three months of the rollout.”The broad swath of American adults still remain largely unvaccinated,” he said, adding that “too many younger Americans may still think they don’t need to get vaccinated.”As of Monday, all states had expanded vaccine eligibility to include everyone 16 and older.Biden on Wednesday announced a tax credit for employers offering vaccine-related paid leave.CNBC Health & Science Read CNBC’s latest coverage of the Covid pandemic:Biden says White House hit 200 million shots goal as case counts in Michigan, U.S. show signs of slowing India reports record single-day jump in Covid cases, with more than 314,000 new infections EU regulator finds possible blood clot link with J&J vaccine, but says benefits outweigh risksThe U.S. is reporting nearly 63,000 daily new Covid infections, based on a seven-day average of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. That figure is above the nation’s most recent low point of 53,600 per day in late March, but has been trending downward over the past few days.U.S. vaccine shots administeredThe United States is averaging 3 million reported shots per day over the past week, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. That figure has held above 3 million for more than two weeks straight, but is down slightly from a peak of 3.4 million reported shots per day on April 13.Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwardsThe recent decline may be at least partially due to the ongoing halt in use of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration earlier this month advised states to suspend the use of J&J’s shot “out of an abundance of caution” after six women developed a rare blood clotting disorder.Most vaccinated Americans have received the Pfizer and Moderna shots, as J&J makes up only 8 million of the 216 million total doses administered to date. But the single-shot option from Johnson & Johnson, which came onto the market later than the other two, was being used for an average of nearly 425,000 reported shots per day at peak levels in mid-April.U.S. share of the population vaccinatedMore than 40% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine, and 26% is fully vaccinated.Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwardsU.S. Covid casesThe U.S. is reporting nearly 63,000 daily new infections, based on a seven-day average of Johns Hopkins data, about 18% higher than the nation’s latest low point but a slight decline from recent days.Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwardsIn Michigan, which is still seeing the highest rate of average new cases per capita in the country, the outbreak may be slowing. Following weeks of a surge that brought daily case counts near the state’s pandemic highs, the seven-day average there has fallen nearly 20% from its latest peak. Michigan is currently reporting 6,400 new cases per day on average, according to Johns Hopkins data, down from nearly 7,900 a week ago.Hospitalizations and deaths, which lag reported cases, are still on the rise in the state, however. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has asked the federal government to send additional vaccine doses to help fight the outbreak.U.S. Covid deathsAbout 700 Covid deaths are being reported each day in the U.S., according to a weekly average of Johns Hopkins data.Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwardsBiden said Wednesday that the death toll among seniors has declined dramatically due largely to the high vaccination rate for that age group.”Still, far too many lives lost, but also a lot of lives saved,” he said. More

In this articleHWINHometown Deli in Paulsboro, N.J.CNBCThe $100 million company that owns only a single New Jersey deli was delisted from the OTCQB over-the counter market “for not complying with the rules” and slapped with a warning label for would-be buyers on Wednesday night, the CEO of the company that operates that market said in a tweet.The action came six days after the deli owner, Hometown International, was flagged as a warning to retail stock customers in a client letter by hedge fund manager David Einhorn.Hometown International’s stock has soared over the past year, giving it a market capitalization of a $100 million or more — despite sales at its Paulsboro, New Jersey, deli of only about $35,000 combined in the past two years.The stock, which had traded as low as $4.75 per share last year, closed Wednesday on the OTCQB market at $13.07 per share, up 2.51% from the previous day.CNBC called the number Hometown International listed in its most recent annual report and left a request for comment on the delisting.Since Einhorn’s letter was issued, CNBC has reported that multiple people connected to Hometown International or related entities have faced regulatory sanctions, legal issues and criminal prosecutions.Cromwell Coulson, CEO of OTC Markets Group, tweeted late Wednesday: “$HWIN Delisted from OTCQB for not complying with the rules and marked CE for public interest concerns.”The acronym “CE” stands for “caveat emptor,” the Latin phrase that means “buyer beware.” OTC Markets Groups operate the OTCQX Best Market, OTCQB Venture Market and Pink Market for about 11,000 U.S. and foreign securities.In a statement, OTC Markets Group said Hometown International did not meet the standards of its OTCQB Market, and that it may not reapply to join the market for at least 90 days.”In accordance with its Caveat Emptor policy, OTC Markets Group has also determined that a public interest concern exists for Hometown International Inc. and has added the Caveat Emptor designation to HWIN,” the group’s statement said. “The Caveat Emptor designation will remain until OTC Markets Group believes there is no longer a public interest concern.”In announcing the caveat emptor label on Hometown International, the OTC Markets Group’s Twitter account linked to its explanation of the label.Your Hometown Deli in Paulsboro, N.J.Google Earth”OTC Markets Group designates certain securities as ‘Caveat Emptor’ and places a skull and crossbones icon next to the stock symbol to inform investors that there may be reason to exercise additional care and perform thorough due diligence before making an investment decision in that security,” that policy says.OTC Markets Group’s policy says the designation can be assigned if that company becomes aware of a stock promotion that is misleading or manipulative, an investigation of fraud or other criminal activities, undisclosed corporate actions, or if there is “a public interest concern regarding the security.”Hometown International’s CEO, Paul Morina, is the principal and head wrestling coach at Paulsboro High School, which is located near the company’s Your Hometown Deli near Philadelphia. He holds common stock and warrants totaling 30.5 million shares.Morina, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, has not returned repeated requests for comment.Neither has the company’s chairman, Hong Kong-based Peter Coker Jr., nor his father, Peter Coker Sr., a key investor in Hometown International, whose firm Tryon Capital has a $15,000 per month consulting deal with the deli owner.Other than Morina’s holdings, most of the company’s shares are held by two sets of entities in Hong Kong and Macau, China. Each set of entities shares the same address in their respective cities. More

The Raptors Global Ambassador Drake cheers on the team as the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 101-96 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.Richard Lautens | Toronto Star | Getty ImagesSports media company Overtime has secured an $80 million fundraising round with investors including Jeff Bezos’ investment firm, global entertainer Drake, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and severeal National Basketball Association players.”The breadth and diversity of this investment group, including leaders from business, entertainment, technology and sports, speaks to Overtime’s remarkable growth and our future trajectory,” Dan Porter, Overtime’s CEO and co-founder, said in a statement. “We believe this is just the tip of the iceberg, as we develop new ways for Overtime to engage with and entertain the next generation of athletes and fans.”Overtime is a media company that distributes original sports content on social media outlets, including Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook. The company also and sells apparel with its logos and branding. The raise comes more than a month after Overtime announced a paid basketball league for young players.Amazon CEO Jeff BezosAlex Wong | Getty ImagesBezos Expeditions, the personal investment firm of the Amazon CEO, is one of the companies tied to this funding round. Global investment firm Blackstone, Morgan Stanley and many NBA stars, including Devin Booker, Trae Young and Klay Thompson joined the investment round. WNBA star Chiney Ogwumike is also an investor.To date, the Brooklyn-based Overtime says it has raised more than $140 million. In March, the company made headlines when it announced Overtime Elite, a basketball league for 16-to-18-year-olds that allows them to earn at least $100,000 per year.As of now, players who join are not eligible for collegiate-level play. But if OTE players do not pursue a professional career, OTE will provide an additional $100,000 for college tuition. Investors in OTE include Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant and Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.In this handout image provided by SportsPro, Dan Porter, Overtime speaks during the SportsPro OTT Summit USA 2020 at Turner Studios on February 19, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia.John Nowak | SportsPro | Getty ImagesOvertime said it will use a portion of the $80 million to help pay for salaries of players and staff, support league startup costs, invest in the NFT sector and enhance its app.The company told CNBC that its content is streamed more than 1.7 billion times a month across all social platforms. Since its launch in 2016, Overtime said it has nearly 50 million social media followers.”Overtime has built an unrivaled brand and global community from scratch in just five years. This fundraise reflects the incredible growth opportunities associated with such a market leading position, including the opportunity to bring Overtime Elite into the world,” said Michael Spirito, a partner at investment firm Sapphire Sport Partner, who led the funding round. More

In this articleAMZNNFLXTDISGolden Globe nominees for Best Director: Chloe Zhao (L), Emerald Fennell (C), and Regina KingGetty ImagesFor the first time in Academy Awards history, two women have been nominated for best director. In the 93-year run of the awards, only five other women have been recognized in the category, even though more than a dozen films directed by a female filmmaker have been nominated for best picture during that time.Chloe Zhao (“Nomadland”) and Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) are the latest additions to that list, and there’s a strong chance that one of them will take home the prize. After all, Zhao has already won directing awards from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and the Directors Guild of America.If Zhao takes home a win, she will be the second woman to do so in nearly 100 years. The last was Kathryn Bigelow, who won the Oscar in 2010 for “The Hurt Locker.”Lina Wertmuller (“Seven Beauties”), Jane Campion (“The Piano”), Sofia Coppola (“Lost in Translation”) and Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”) are the only other female directors who have been up for the best directing award.Many had expected Regina King to garner a nomination in the category for her work on “One Night in Miami,” as she was nominated alongside Zhao and Fennell at the Golden Globes, but she was left off the ballot.Still, the historic nomination of two female directors signals that Hollywood is changing. Not only are women getting more opportunities within the industry, they are opening the door for a new generation of female filmmakers.”We are finally enjoying a time when female filmmakers are regularly nominated and making their mark at major awards shows,” said Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak.”It’s gratifying to see a number of female filmmakers as awards frontrunners and at the helm of the biggest-budget projects moving forward,” she said.In 2020, 16% of the top 100 highest-grossing films were directed by women, according to a report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. That’s up from 12% in 2019 and 4% in 2018.Of course, due to the coronavirus pandemic many blockbuster films were postponed and so 2020’s results are not entirely reflective of Hollywood’s current climate. Still, it is a sign that female directors can produce content that delivers at the box office.And these female filmmakers aren’t just directing independent features, they are overseeing major Hollywood franchises. Cathy Yan was at the helm of “Birds of Prey,” Patty Jenkins led the production of “Wonder Woman 1984” and Niki Caro directed “Mulan.”Coming later this year is Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow” and Zhao’s “Eternals.””These filmmakers and many others are continuing to prove that immense talent is not bound by gender, race, or any other classification. When opportunities and creative freedom are encouraged, great cinematic work can come from anyone,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice.com.Robbins said there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to increase representation, but these filmmakers show that the industry is embracing new voices.As the Oscars approach, here’s a look at 13 female directors who are making waves in Hollywood:Chloe ZhaoChloe Zhao has come a long way since directing her first feature film in 2015. “Songs My Brothers Taught Me” premiered at Sundance and later played at the Cannes Film Festival. It was nominated for best first feature at the Independent Spirit Awards that year.Her second feature, “The Rider,” in 2017 won the Art Cinema Award, the top prize at Directors’ Fortnight, a Cannes Film Festival showcase that has been a launching pad for directors around the world. She was nominated for best director and the feature was nominated for best picture at the Independent Spirit Awards in 2018.”Nomadland,” which is only her third feature, has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including best picture and best director. Zhao won the Golden Globe for best director earlier this year as well as the top directing prize from the Directors Guild of America.Zhao’s next feature set for release in November is “Eternals.” She was hired by Disney to direct the movie, a comic book title that is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Chloe Zhao speaks onstage IFP’s 24th Gotham Independent Film Awards at Cipriani, Wall Street on December 1, 2014 in New York City.Theo Wargo | Getty ImagesEmerald FennellAlthough “Promising Young Woman” is Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut, she’s no stranger to the film industry. An actress and writer, Fennell has worked in Hollywood for well over a decade.She is an Emmy Award-nominated writer for her work on the BBC hit “Killing Eve” and a children’s author.”Promising Young Woman” has garnered five Academy Award nominations, including best picture, best director and best original screenplay.Fennell is currently working with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the musical “Cinderella” and has been tapped by Warner Bros. to write a Zatanna film for the DC Extended Universe.Emerald Fennell arrives to the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 5, 2020.Kevork Djansezian | NBCUniversal | Getty ImagesRegina KingRegina King is a well-known face in Hollywood. Her career spans three decades, including award-winning performances in the television series “American Crime” and “Watchmen” as well as for the film “If Beale Street Could Talk.”King’s directorial film debut “One Night in Miami” earned her a Golden Globe nomination for best director alongside Zhao and Fennell, but she was left off this year’s Oscar ballot.King previously directed episodes of “Southland,” “Scandal,” “Animal Kingdom,” “This Is Us,” “Shameless,” “The Good Doctor” and “Insecure.”In this screengrab, Regina King presents the Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Award during the 52nd NAACP Image Awards on March 27, 2021.52nd NAACP Image Awards/BET | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesAva DuVernayAva DuVernay first made a name for herself in Hollywood with her 2012 film “Middle of Nowhere.” The film earned her the directing award in the U.S. dramatic competition at Sundance. She was the first Black woman to win this award.Two years later, “Selma” helped DuVernay become the first Black woman to be nominated for a Golden Globe for best director and the first Black female director to be nominated for best picture. In 2017, she was nominated for the Oscar for best documentary feature for her film “13th.”While her 2018 Disney fantasy film “A Wrinkle in Time” ultimately lost money at the box office and was a flop with critics, it still garnered more than $100 million domestically. DuVernay was the first Black woman to hit that benchmark.More recently, DuVernay has had a successful run in television. Her Netflix limited series “When They See Us” told the story of the five Harlem teens who were falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. It earned critical acclaim and 16 Emmy nominations. It won the Emmy for outstanding limited series.Last year, DuVernay was elected to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board of governors as part of the directors branch.DuVernay also founded a film collective called Array in 2010. The company is dedicated to amplifying people of color and female directors in the film industry.Ava DuVernay attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.Rich Fury/VF20 | Getty Images for Vanity Fair Getty ImagesGreta GerwigGreta Gerwig made her solo directorial debut in 2017, after two decades of working as an actress in film and television. The film, “Lady Bird,” was nominated for five Academy Awards including best picture, best director and best original screenplay.Her next project, an adaption of “Little Women,” garnered six Oscar nominations including best picture and best adapted screenplay. However, Gerwig was ultimately left off the ballot for best director, a snub that was publicly noted by many in Hollywood.She’s now working on a collaboration with her partner Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story”) on a script for Mattel’s live-action Barbie film starring Margot Robbie.US actress and director Greta Gerwig arrives for the 92nd Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 9, 2020.Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty ImagesCathy YanCathy Yan started her career as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal before turning to filmmaking.After writing and directing several short films, she made her feature debut with “Dead Pigs” in 2018. The film was inspired by an incident in 2013 in which thousands of dead pigs were found floating in the Huangpu River in China. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won a special jury award for ensemble acting.Yan’s next film was for Warner Bros.’ DC Extended Universe. “Birds of Prey,” which featured Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, was released in early 2020. The film garnered $200 million at the global box office, but its run was cut short by the Covid pandemic.Yan is expected to direct and co-write an adaptation of “Sour Hearts,” based on Jenny Zhang’s short story collection for A24, an independent entertainment company. She has also started developing an adaptation of Rachel Khong’s short story “The Freshening.”Cathy Yan attends the “Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn” World Premiere at the BFI IMAX on January 29, 2020 in London, England.Karwai Tang | WireImage | Getty ImagesPatty JenkinsPatty Jenkins made her directorial debut in 2003 with “Monster,” a biographical crime drama about serial killer Aileen Wuornos. It was a critical and commercial success that earned Charlize Theron an Academy Award for best actress.After development stalled on several film projects, Jenkins spent the next decade working in television.She returned to the big screen with the DC Extended Universe film “Wonder Woman.” The comic book flick became the highest-grossing film directed by a woman and led to Jenkins’ involvement in a sequel. “Wonder Woman 1984” was released in late 2020 and Warner Bros. was quick to announce that Jenkins would be at the helm for a third installment of the franchise.Jenkins was most recently hired by Disney to direct “Rogue Squadron,” an upcoming Star Wars film centered around the titular squadron of rebel pilots. The film is set to be released in December 2023. Jenkins will be the first woman to direct a Star Wars film.Patty Jenkins attends TNT’s “I Am The Night” FYC Event on May 9, 2019 in North Hollywood, California.Emma McIntyre | Getty ImagesLulu WangLulu Wang directed a number of short films and music videos before releasing her first feature film, “Posthumous,” in 2014.In 2017, Wang was chosen to participate in the Sundance Institute’s FilmTwo Fellowship, which provides guidance for filmmakers creating their second feature film.”The Farewell” debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019, where it was picked up for worldwide distribution by A24. The film was selected as one of the American Film Institute’s 10 receipients of the 2019 AFI Awards, which are awarded to features that are “culturally and artistically representative” of the year’s most significant achievements in cinema.While “The Farewell” won the Independent Spirit Award for best picture and recognition from the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Critics’ Choice Awards, it did not receive a single nomination for an Academy Award.Wang is currently tied to a film adaptation of Alexander Weinstein’s collection of science fiction short stories called “Children of the New World.”Lulu Wang attends the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards – Press Room on February 08, 2020 in Santa Monica, California.David Crotty | Patrick McMullan | Getty ImagesJennifer LeeIn 2011, Jennifer Lee was contacted by a former classmate at Columbia University to help write “Wreck-It Ralph” for Disney Animation. The gig was supposed to last eight weeks. Seven years later, she was tapped to become the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios.Lee is probably best known for the 2013 hit “Frozen,” which she co-directed with Chris Buck. She also received credit for creative leadership on “Big Hero Six” and “Moana” as well as credit as one of the writers who developed “Zootopia.” She also wrote the screenplay for Disney’s live-action adaptation of “A Wrinkle in Time,” which was directed by Ava DuVernay.Before being named chief creative officer, Lee worked once again with Buck to co-direct “Frozen II.”Lee is currently tied to a film titled “The Way Between” as a writer and producer. Kyra Sedgwick is set to direct.Walt Disney Animation Studios CCO Jennifer Lee accept the ‘Best Immersive Feature Film – Animated’ award for Frozen 2 onstage during The Advanced Imaging Society’s 11th Annual Lumiere Awards at Steven J. Ross Theatre on the Warner Bros. Lot on January 22, 2020 in Burbank, California.Ari Perilstein | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesNiki CaroNiki Caro’s breakout came in 2002 with the release of “Whale Rider,” a film about a Maori girl who has to stand up against the men in her tribe to show she can be as much of a leader as the boys. The film garnered an Academy Award nomination for the young New Zealand actress Keisha Castle-Hughes.Her next film, “North Country,” starred Charlize Theron, who was nominated for best actress at the Oscars. She directed two other films, “A Heavenly Vintage” and “McFarland, USA,” before helming “The Zookeeper’s Wife” with Jessica Chastain in the lead role.In 2017, Caro was hired by Disney to direct its live-action adapation of “Mulan,” which was released in 2020 during the pandemic on Disney+ premiere access. She is the second woman to direct a film with a budget of more than $100 million.Caro is set to direct that Amazon TV series “Daisy Jones & the Six,” which is based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid and produced by Reese Witherspoon.Director Niki Caro attends the Premiere Of Disney’s “Mulan” on March 09, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.Frazer Harrison | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesMarielle HellerFans of Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit” my recognize Marielle Heller as Alma Wheatley, the lonely housewife who adopts Beth Harmon in the TV series about a chess prodigy. She’s also an accomplished filmmaker.Her debut film, “The Diary of a Teenage Girl,” earned critical acclaim at Sundance in 2015 and went on to win the prize for best first feature at the Independent Spirit Awards.Heller next directed “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” a film about Lee Israel, an American author known for committing forgery. Israel was played by Melissa McCarthy. She and her co-star Richard E. Grant were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances and the film also earned a best adapted screenplay nod.A year later, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” was released with Tom Hanks playing the role of Fred Rogers, the host of the children’s program “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Hanks received an Oscar nomination.Director Marielle Heller attending the A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood UK Premiere as part of the BFI London Film Festival 2019 held at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London.Ian West – PA Images | PA Images | Getty ImagesKasi LemmonsKasi Lemmons spent the first few decades of her career in Hollywood as an actress before transitioning into a filmmaker. Fans of “Silence of the Lambs” may remember Lemmons as Ardelia Mapp, the best friend and roommate of Clarice Starling.In 1997, Lemmons directed “Eve’s Bayou” starring Samuel L. Jackson. The film garnered her an Independent Spirit Award for best first feature.Since then, she’s directed a number of high-profile features including “The Caveman’s Valentine,” “Talk to Me,” and an adaptation of the Broadway musical “Black Nativity.”Her 2019 film “Harriet,” a biographical film about Harriet Tubman, earned star Cynthia Erivo, an Academy Award nomination.Film director and actress Kasi Lemmons attends the 28th Philadelphia Film Festival Screening of “Harriet” at Philadelphia Film Center on October 23, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Gilbert Carrasquillo | Getty ImagesSofia CoppolaSofia Coppola, the youngest child of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, has made a name for herself in the film industry.Her first feature film was 1999’s “The Virgin Suicides,” an adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides book. She followed that up with “Lost in Translation” in 2003, which starred Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.The film was nominated for four Academy Awards including best picture, best director and best original screenplay. At that time, Coppola became the third woman to be nominated for best director and the second to win best original screenplay.She also directed “Marie Antoinette,” “Somewhere,” “The Bling Ring” and “The Beguiled.” Her most recent feature was the 2020 film “On the Rocks,” starring Rashida Jones and Bill Murray.Sofia Coppola attends the photocall of the Chanel Metiers d’art 2019-2020 show at Le Grand Palais on December 04, 2019 in Paris, France.Stephane Cardinale | Corbis Entertainment | Getty Images More