Meet the director nominated for 2 Oscars for 2 different films

March 14, 2026

American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir has achieved a historic double nomination at this year's Academy Awards, becoming the first woman ever nominated in both documentary categories during a single ceremony. She received recognition for "The Perfect Neighbor" in the feature-length category and "The Devil is Busy" in the short documentary category. This accomplishment places her among only six people in Oscar history to earn nominations in both documentary categories in one year, with Walt Disney being the most famous predecessor when he won both awards in 1954.

Who is affected

Geeta Gandbhir (filmmaker receiving double nominations)
Gandbhir's husband (producer on The Perfect Neighbor)
Christalyn Hampton (co-director of The Devil is Busy)
Women filmmakers (as Gandbhir becomes the first woman to achieve this feat)
Staff and patients at abortion clinics (subjects of The Devil is Busy)
A young mother and her children (subjects of The Perfect Neighbor)

What action is being taken

Gandbhir is being nominated for two Academy Awards in two separate documentary categories
The Academy Awards ceremony is set to take place on Sunday evening in Los Angeles

Why it matters

This achievement is significant because it represents an extremely rare accomplishment in Oscar history, with only six people ever nominated in both documentary categories in a single year across nearly 100 years of the Academy Awards. More importantly, Gandbhir breaks a gender barrier by becoming the first woman to achieve this distinction, joining legendary figures like Walt Disney. The recognition can substantially advance her career by opening doors and increasing name recognition in the film industry, which she describes as "the ultimate recognition in film."

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC