Despite a best picture, comedy or musical nomination for “Lady Bird” and widespread acclaim for its first-time director, Greta Gerwig, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. stuck with an all-male group for the 2018 best director nominations.

In a year in which Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” and Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” also received universal praise — and in the case of “Wonder Woman,” massive box office as well, the slight was seen as significant.

Gerwig, who has acted in numerous films, had never directed a feature before “Lady Bird.” She did, however, score a screenplay nom for her original “Lady Bird” script. The Globes combine both adapted and original screenplays into one category.

The push to hire and recognize female directors has intensified in the wake of the Academy’s efforts to improve diversity and the massive sexual harassment scandals that are gripping Hollywood.

Instead, the HFPA nominated Guillermo del Toro, whose “The Shape of Water” had the most noms overall, Martin McDonagh, Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg. Spielberg previously won Globes for directing “Saving Private Ryan” and “Schindler’s List.”

The only female director to have won a Golden Globe is Barbra Streisand, for “Yentl” in 1984. Female nominees have included Kathryn Bigelow, Sofia Coppola and Ava DuVernay.

“Lady Bird” stars Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf were nominated for Golden Globes for best actress, comedy and supporting actress, respectively. Among other honors, “Lady Bird” won best film from the New York Film Critics Circle.

Ronan stars as the title character in “Lady Bird,” a high school senior who deals with a strict mother, college plans and boys in early-2000s Sacramento, Calif.

However, the Globe nominations weren’t all bad news for women directors. Angelina Jolie’s “First They Killed My Father” did receive a best foreign film nomination. The Cambodia-set film’s dialogue is in Khmer, French and English. And “The Breadwinner,” directed by Nora Twomey, will compete in the best animated film category, along with “Loving Vincent,” directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman.