Despite the upturn in the number of films and TV shows helmed by women, female directors were shut out of the Golden Globes once again this year. The snub was immediately called out on social media. However, Variety.com reports that Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) president Lorenzo Soria defended the move by saying the organisation's votes are based solely on the film, not its director's gender. She said the association merely pays heed to a film's "accomplishment" when voting for it.

Some of the major snubs included Alma Har'el (Honey Boy), Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Greta Gerwig (Little Women), Lorene Scafaria (Hustlers), Olivia Wilde (Booksmart) and Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood).