Highlights
- Geeta Gandbhir is nominated for both best documentary feature and best documentary short at this year's Oscars.
- She is the first woman ever to be nominated in both documentary categories in the same year.
- Her two films — The Perfect Neighbor on Netflix and The Devil is Busy on HBO Max — cover a police killing and abortion clinic safety.
Gandbhir said she tried to sleep through the Oscar nominations on purpose to avoid feeling let down.
"It's anxiety inducing to watch the actual announcements. I've done it before," she said.
But she ended up staying awake until 3am. She was woken by her husband , who worked on The Perfect Neighbor cheering on the phone with her best friend who co-directed The Devil is Busy.
Two powerful films
The Devil is Busy, on HBO Max, follows a single day inside an abortion clinic in Atlanta seen through the eyes of a security guard.
It shows the real dangers faced by staff and patients as abortion laws keep changing across America.
The Perfect Neighbor, on Netflix, uses police body camera footage to tell the story of a young mother who was killed by a neighbour who kept calling police to complain about children playing near her home.
When asked if she had written two acceptance speeches Gandbhir laughed and said "touch wood." If she wins for The Devil is Busy she will share the stage with co-director Christalyn Hampton. S
he joins a very short list of just six people ever to be nominated in both documentary categories in the same year.
Being the only woman on that list makes her achievement even more special and marks a big moment for women working in film.
