Catherine Hardwicke said this week that Summit Entertainment rewarded her with only a “mini cupcake” after the first “Twilight” film became a surprise blockbuster in 2008, underscoring what she calls a persistent gender gap in Hollywood. In an interview with The Guardian, the 69-year-old director contrasted the gesture with the cars, multi-picture deals and other perks she has seen male filmmakers receive when their movies perform well. “No, people aren’t going to hire more women directors,” she added. “Twilight,” produced for about $37 million, opened to $69 million and ultimately took in roughly $408 million worldwide, launching a five-film franchise. Despite the windfall, Hardwicke was replaced by male directors Chris Weitz, David Slade and Bill Condon for the sequels. She said the cupcake incident and her swift sidelining illustrate the limited opportunities still offered to women behind the camera, even after delivering proven commercial success.