Now that the crisp winter air has arrived and films are trotted out for Oscar consideration, I highly recommend these spectacular performances by female actors in film.
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine. Blanchett’s turn as Jasmine, a fictional Ruth Madoff-like character, is virtuosic. She doesn’t shy away from showing us the ugly, manipulative quality to Jasmine’s histrionics, leaving the viewer in awe.
Julie Delpy in Before Midnight. In the third installment of Richard Linklater’s series that started with Before Sunrise, Delpy’s Celine stresses about her relationship with her stepson and childrearing in the face of making a career mark. A true contemporary scene of a Gen X marriage.
Amy Adams in American Hustle. Adams’ Sydney Prosser, Christian Bale’s con artist wingwoman, is all original. Adams sheds her fresh-faced, girl-next-door persona and turns in a career-defining performance.
Kathryn Hahn in Afternoon Delight. Jill Soloway’s film follows the sexual exploration of Rachel, a bored mother in Los Angeles. Hahn skillfully navigates comedic scenes of school fundraisers and heartbreaking drunken revelations. Her frazzled Rachel is a portrait of hipster motherhood.
Danai Gurira in Mother of George. Gurira’s Adenike is a pitch-perfect representation of an African woman in America caught between the reality of her infertility and the expectations of a culture that confers respect to couples able to produce big families.
Lindsay Burdge in A Teacher. Burdge gives a committed performance to the downward spiral of Diana, an emotionally unstable high school teacher who has an affair with a student.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins in Blue Jasmine. Hawkins turns in a great supporting performance as Ginger, Jasmine’s poorer sister.
Octavia Spencer in Fruitvale Station.The film is based on the last day of Oscar Grant, who was shot by San Francisco BART officers. Spencer portrays Wanda, Oscar’s mother who goes from celebrating her birthday with her son to the hospital where he dies.
Scarlett Johansson in Her. Johansson’s voice artistry should not go unnoticed since her performance (as the Samantha OS) sustains the movie through long talking scenes with only one other character.
nywift
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Elizabeth “Liz” Bendelac
Welcome to NYWIFT, Elizabeth Bendelac! Liz is a locations professional. She’s managed, key assistant managed, scouted, and coordinated for film and television across New York and New Jersey. Her credits? NBC's New Amsterdam. Paramount’s Smile. Sony’s Goosebumps: The Vanishing for Disney+. Indie? She’s there too. Ponyboi, starring Dylan O’Brien and Victoria Pedretti. She’s everywhere you need her to be—quietly making it all happen. Recent work in the Tri-State area? The Home with Pete Davidson. Insidious 5. Manifest. Disenchanted. Resurrection. The Good Nurse. And a standout collaboration with Edward Burns on his sequel to The Brothers McMullen: The Family McMullen. Outside of production, Elizabeth dedicates her time to Surfers Healing, a nonprofit surf camp for children with autism. It’s a cause close to her heart, combining her love of the ocean with her commitment to community and empathy. Elizabeth is also an adjunct faculty member at the New Jersey Institute of Technology where she developed and teaches a course on location management. Elizabeth: She doesn’t just do locations. She produces. And producing, for her, has rules. Collaborate with directors who share her values. Strong roles for women of color. Fresh takes on stories you thought you knew. Films with the elegance of Merchant & Ivory but the punch to succeed in the real world. Films that leave a mark. To that end, she’s developing two scripts with award-winning playwright Montserrat Mendez. Exploring genre mash-ups. Shaking up narratives. Figuring out new ways to make audiences sit up, pay attention, maybe even gasp. Because whether it’s a location or a story, Elizabeth Bendelac knows how to map the journey. She knows the destination. And she will get you there.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Andrea Ocampo
Welcome to NYWIFT, Andrea Ocampo! Andrea is a first-generation Colombian filmmaker. She is drawn to the quiet forces that have shaped her: obsession, memory, and identity in flux. She is a proud artist who directs with a lens for the psychological and surreal, blending documentary realism with fiction laced in intimate mystery. Her latest short Blackout is a psychological thriller set in the NYC subway, and it premiered to a sold-out crowd on September 13th, 2025, at Imagine This Women’s Film Festival. She navigates global crises and inner landscapes with equal urgency. Her work has a raw, honest, and quietly haunted feel to it. Chances are you’ll feel it before you understand it. We spoke to Andrea in late Summer. She recounts her experience in the film industry, tracing her path from a passionate young filmmaker in her early childhood to the successful professional she has become.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Iris De Vita
Welcome to NYWIFT, Iris De Vita! Iris De Vita is the founder of Golden Iris, LLC, where she combines her talents as a photographer and publicist to help clients shine. She also works as a talent booker for The Donna Drake Show. Specializing in portrait and event photography, as well as PR for artists, performers, and small businesses, Iris brings a creative yet strategic approach to every project. Iris’s work has supported films, festivals, and artistic events, drawing audiences and capturing lasting memories. Based on Long Island and in New York City, she is passionate about telling stories, whether through the perfect photograph or a compelling publicity campaign. In our interview, Iris discusses her photography, her promotional work with artists and events, and her love of connecting audiences with art!
READ MOREMaria Miles Previews the 2025 New York Greek Film Expo
As former NYWIFT Board Member Maria C. Miles finishes up her first year as President of the Hellenic Film Society, we sat down with her on the eve of the New York Greek Film Expo to discuss her time with the organization and what we have to look forward to at this year’s fest. Mary is the founder of an entertainment law practice with offices in New York. Maria’s practice focuses on all areas of entertainment law, including film (narrative and documentary), music, literary publishing, and digital media. She has represented award-winning producers, directors, writers, actors, television hosts, multi-platinum recording artists, and corporations in the fashion and sports industries related to their entertainment matters. Maria is the Executive Director of the Hellenic Films Society, USA, and served as Secretary of the board of New York Women in Film & Television. She continues to serve NYWIFT as their legal counsel. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema and the School for Visual Arts, as well as an Adjunct Instructor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
READ MORE
