Thursday, Apr. 01, 2010

Kathryn Bigelow

Age: 58
Occupation: Director
Previous TIME 100 Appearances: 0

Bigelow's tense and gripping Iraq war film, The Hurt Locker, was 2009's little movie that could — and it did, racking up critical acclaim and honors and beating out Avatar for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Bigelow also made history as the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director. With edgy, kinetic films like Point Break and Near Dark, she commanded a cult following; now she's everyone's director to watch.