The Directors Guild of America Awards are issued annually by the

Directors Guild of America The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is an entertainment guild that represents the interests of film director, film and television director, television directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the Screen Dire ...

. The first DGA Award was an "Honorary Life Member" award issued in 1938 to

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

. The statues are made by New York firm,

Society Awards Society Awards is an American company best known for designing and manufacturing high-profile entertainment industry awards, including the Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, GLAAD Media Award, and YouTube Creator Awards, among others. History Societ ...

Winners – Motion Picture

Lifetime Achievement Award

(formerly the D. W. Griffith Lifetime Achievement Award) * 1953: Cecil B. DeMille * 1954:

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

* 1955: No award * 1956: Henry King * 1957:

King Vidor King Wallis Vidor (; February 8, 1894 – November 1, 1982) was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose 67-year film-making career successfully spanned the silent and sound eras. His works are distinguished by a vivid, ...

* 1958: No award * 1959:

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-born American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s ...

* 1960:

George Stevens George Cooper Stevens (December 18, 1904 – March 8, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer.Obituary '' Variety'', March 12, 1975, page 79. Films he produced were nominated for the Academy Award for ...

* 1961:

Frank Borzage Frank Borzage (; April 23, 1894 – June 19, 1962) was an Academy Award-winning American film director and actor, known for directing '' 7th Heaven'' (1927), '' Street Angel'' (1928), '' Bad Girl'' (1931), ''A Farewell to Arms'' (1932), '' Man's ...

* 1962–1965: No award * 1966:

William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a Swiss-German-American film director and producer who won the Academy Award for Best Director three times, those being for '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942), '' The Best Years o ...

* 1967: No award * 1968:

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

* 1969: No award * 1970:

Fred Zinnemann Alfred ''Fred'' Zinnemann (April 29, 1907 – March 14, 1997) was an Austrian Empire-born American film director. He won four Academy Awards for directing and producing films in various genres, including thrillers, westerns, film noir and pla ...

* 1971–1972: No award * 1973: William A. Wellman and

David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, Lean directed the large-scale epics ''The Bridge on the River ...

* 1974–1980: No award * 1981:

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...

* 1982:

Rouben Mamoulian Rouben Zachary Mamoulian ( ; hy, Ռուբէն Մամուլեան; October 8, 1897 – December 4, 1987) was an American film and theatre director. Early life Mamoulian was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire, to a family of Armenian descent. ...

* 1983:

John Huston John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter, actor and visual artist. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered ...

* 1984:

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

* 1985:

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holly ...

* 1986: Joseph L. Mankiewicz * 1987:

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

* 1988:

Robert Wise Robert Earl Wise (September 10, 1914 – September 14, 2005) was an American film director, producer, and editor. He won the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for his musical films ''West Side Story'' (1961) and ''The Sound of ...

* 1989: No award * 1990:

Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known as "profoun ...

* 1991: No award * 1992:

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

* 1993:

Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award: four for Best Director for ''12 Angry Men'' (1957), '' Dog Day Afternoon'' (1975), ''Network'' (1976 ...

* 1994:

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New ...

* 1995:

James Ivory James Francis Ivory (born June 7, 1928) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. For many years, he worked extensively with Indian-born film producer Ismail Merchant, his domestic as well as professional partner, and with scree ...

* 1996:

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

* 1997:

Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...

* 1998:

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five ...

* 1999: No award * 2000:

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Sp ...

* 2001: No award * 2002:

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...

* 2003: No award * 2004:

Mike Nichols Mike Nichols (born Michael Igor Peschkowsky; November 6, 1931 – November 19, 2014) was an American film and theater director, producer, actor, and comedian. He was noted for his ability to work across a range of genres and for his aptitude fo ...

* 2005: No award * 2006:

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the " Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "'' Do ...

* 2007–2009: No award * 2010:

Norman Jewison Norman Frederick Jewison (born July 21, 1926) is a retired Canadian film and television director, producer, and founder of the Canadian Film Centre. He has directed numerous feature films and has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best ...

* 2011: Alice Guy-Blaché * 2012:

Miloš Forman Jan Tomáš "Miloš" Forman (; ; 18 February 1932 – 13 April 2018) was a Czech and American film director, screenwriter, actor, and professor who rose to fame in his native Czechoslovakia before emigrating to the United States in 1968. Forman ...

* 2013–2015: No award * 2016:

Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades th ...

* 2017–2020: No award * 2021:

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film

* 1948: Joseph L. Mankiewicz – '' A Letter to Three Wives'' ¿ * 1949: Robert Rossen – ''

All the King's Men ''All the King's Men'' is a 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. The novel tells the story of charismatic populist governor Willie Stark and his political machinations in the Depression-era Deep South. It was inspired by the real-life story of U ...

'' ¿ ** * 1950: Joseph L. Mankiewicz – ''

All About Eve ''All About Eve'' is a 1950 American drama film written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. It is based on the 1946 short story "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr, although Orr does not receive a screen credit ...

'' † ** * 1951:

– '' A Place in the Sun'' † * 1952:

– ''

The Quiet Man ''The Quiet Man'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by John Ford. It stars John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen. The screenplay by Frank S. Nugent was based on a 1933 ''Saturday Ev ...

'' † * 1953:

– '' From Here to Eternity'' † ** * 1954:

– ''

On the Waterfront ''On the Waterfront'' is a 1954 American crime drama film, directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando and features Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Pat Henning, and Eva Marie Saint in her film debut. ...

'' † ** * 1955: Delbert Mann – '' Marty'' † ** * 1956:

– ''

Giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...

'' † * 1957:

– ''

The Bridge on the River Kwai ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the 1952 novel written by Pierre Boulle. Although the film uses the historical setting of the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943, th ...

'' † ** * 1958:

Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (born Lester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an American stage director and film director. He directed the classic movie musicals '' Meet Me in St. Louis'' (1944), '' An American in Paris'' (1951), ' ...

– '' Gigi'' † ** * 1959:

– '' Ben-Hur'' † ** * 1960:

– '' The Apartment'' † ** * 1961:

– ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

'' † ** * 1962:

– ''

Lawrence of Arabia Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–1918 ...

'' † ** * 1963:

Tony Richardson Cecil Antonio "Tony" Richardson (5 June 1928 – 14 November 1991) was an English theatre and film director and producer whose career spanned five decades. In 1964, he won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film ''Tom Jones''. Early ...

– ''

Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer *Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...

'' † ** * 1964:

– ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'' † ** * 1965:

– ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...

'' † ** * 1966:

– '' A Man for All Seasons'' † ** * 1967:

– ''

The Graduate ''The Graduate'' is a 1967 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from W ...

'' † * 1968:

Anthony Harvey Anthony Harvey (3 June 1930 – 23 November 2017) was an English filmmaker who began his career as a teenage actor, was a film editor in the 1950s and moved into directing in the mid-1960s. Harvey had fifteen film credits as an editor, and he ...

– '' The Lion in Winter'' ‡ * 1969:

John Schlesinger John Richard Schlesinger (; 16 February 1926 – 25 July 2003) was an English film and stage director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for ''Midnight Cowboy'', and was nominated for the same award for two other films ('' Darling'' an ...

– ''

Midnight Cowboy ''Midnight Cowboy'' is a 1969 American drama film, based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. The film was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, with notable smaller ...

'' † ** * 1970: Franklin Schaffner – ''

Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...

'' † ** * 1971:

William Friedkin William "Billy" Friedkin (born August 29, 1935)Biskind, p. 200. is an American film and television director, producer and screenwriter closely identified with the " New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in documentaries in ...

– '' The French Connection'' † ** * 1972:

– ''

The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caa ...

'' ‡ ** * 1973: George Roy Hill – ''

The Sting ''The Sting'' is a 1973 American caper film set in September 1936, involving a complicated plot by two professional grifters (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) to con a mob boss ( Robert Shaw).'' Variety'' film review; December 12, 1973, pag ...

'' † ** * 1974:

– '' The Godfather Part II'' † ** * 1975:

– ''

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest may refer to: * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Ken Kesey * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (play), a 1963 stage adaptation of the novel starring Kirk Douglas * ''One Flew Over the ...

'' † ** * 1976:

John G. Avildsen John Guilbert Avildsen (December 21, 1935 – June 16, 2017) was an American film director. He is perhaps best known for directing ''Rocky'' (1976), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Director, and the first three ''The Karate Kid'' fil ...

– ''

Rocky ''Rocky'' is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burges ...

'' † ** * 1977:

– ''

Annie Hall ''Annie Hall'' is a 1977 American satirical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Woody Allen from a screenplay written by him and Marshall Brickman, and produced by Allen's manager, Charles H. Joffe. The film stars Allen as Alvy Singer, w ...

'' † ** * 1978: Michael Cimino – ''

The Deer Hunter ''The Deer Hunter'' is a 1978 war drama film co-written and directed by Michael Cimino about a trio of Slavic-American steelworkers whose lives were upended after fighting in the Vietnam War. The three soldiers are played by Robert De Niro ...

'' † ** * 1979:

Robert Benton Robert Douglas Benton (born September 29, 1932) is an American screenwriter and film director. He is best known as the writer and director of the film ''Kramer vs. Kramer'', for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director and Best Adapted S ...

– ''

Kramer vs. Kramer ''Kramer vs. Kramer'' is a 1979 American legal drama film written and directed by Robert Benton, based on Avery Corman's 1977 novel of the same name. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Jane Alexander, and Justin Henry. It tells the stor ...

'' † ** * 1980:

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award from four nominations, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, the Cec ...

– ''

Ordinary People ''Ordinary People'' is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford in his directorial debut. The screenplay by Alvin Sargent is based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Judith Guest. The film follows the disintegration of an uppe ...

'' † ** * 1981:

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...

– '' Reds'' † * 1982:

Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Televisi ...

– ''

Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

'' † ** * 1983:

James L. Brooks James Lawrence Brooks (born May 9, 1940) is an American director, producer, screenwriter and co-founder of Gracie Films. His television and film work includes ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', ''Taxi'', ''The Simpsons'', '' Broadcast News'', ''As G ...

– ''

Terms of Endearment ''Terms of Endearment'' is a 1983 American family comedy-drama film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel of the same name. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Dann ...

'' † ** * 1984:

– '' Amadeus'' † ** * 1985:

– ''

The Color Purple ''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker which won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.

'' § * 1986:

Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of '' Midnight Express'' (1978), and wrote the gangster film remake '' Sc ...

– ''

Platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...

'' † ** * 1987:

Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci (; 16 March 1941 – 26 November 2018) was an Italian film director and screenwriter with a career that spanned 50 years. Considered one of the greatest directors in Italian cinema, Bertolucci's work achieved international ...

– '' The Last Emperor'' † ** * 1988:

Barry Levinson Barry Lee Levinson (born April 6, 1942) is an American filmmaker, comedian and actor. Levinson's best-known works are mid-budget comedy drama and drama films such as '' Diner'' (1982); ''The Natural'' (1984); '' Good Morning, Vietnam'' (1987); ...

– ''

Rain Man ''Rain Man'' is a 1988 American road movie, road Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass. It tells the story of abrasive, selfish young wikt:wheeler-dealer, wheeler-dealer C ...

'' † ** * 1989:

– '' Born on the Fourth of July'' † * 1990:

Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...

– ''

Dances with Wolves ''Dances with Wolves'' is a 1990 American epic western film starring, directed, and produced by Kevin Costner in his feature directorial debut. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 novel '' Dances with Wolves'' by Michael Blake that tells the ...

'' † ** * 1991:

Jonathan Demme Robert Jonathan Demme ( ; February 22, 1944 – April 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker. Beginning his career under B-movie producer Roger Corman, Demme made his directorial debut with the 1974 women-in-prison film '' Caged Heat'', befo ...

– '' The Silence of the Lambs'' † ** * 1992:

– ''

Unforgiven ''Unforgiven'' is a 1992 American Revisionist Western film starring, directed, and produced by Clint Eastwood, and written by David Webb Peoples. The film tells the story of William Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job, ...

'' † ** * 1993:

– ''

Schindler's List ''Schindler's List'' is a 1993 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the 1982 novel ''Schindler's Ark'' by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally. The film f ...

'' † ** * 1994:

Robert Zemeckis Robert Lee Zemeckis (born May 14, 1952) is an American filmmaker. He first came to public attention as the director of the action-adventure romantic comedy '' Romancing the Stone'' (1984), the science-fiction comedy '' Back to the Future'' film ...

– ''

Forrest Gump ''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson ...

'' † ** * 1995:

Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of '' The Twilight Zone''. ...

– ''

Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted aft ...

'' § * 1996:

Anthony Minghella Anthony Minghella, (6 January 195418 March 2008) was a British film director, playwright and screenwriter. He was chairman of the board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007. He won the Academy Award for Best Directo ...

– ''

The English Patient ''The English Patient'' is a 1992 novel by Michael Ondaatje. The book follows four dissimilar people brought together at an Italian villa during the Italian Campaign of the Second World War. The four main characters are: an unrecognisably burn ...

'' † ** * 1997:

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post- New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability ...

– ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...

'' † ** * 1998:

– ''

Saving Private Ryan ''Saving Private Ryan'' is a 1998 American epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Set during the Battle of Normandy in World War II, the film is known for its graphic portrayal of war, especially its depicti ...

'' † * 1999:

Sam Mendes Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was knighted in the 2020 New Years Honours List. That s ...

– '' American Beauty'' † ** * 2000:

Ang Lee Ang Lee (; born October 23, 1954) is a Taiwanese filmmaker. Born in Pingtung County of southern Taiwan, Lee was educated in Taiwan and later in the United States. During his filmmaking career, he has received international critical and popula ...

– ''

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' is a 2000 wuxia film directed by Ang Lee and written for the screen by Wang Hui-ling, James Schamus, and Tsai Kuo-jung . The film features a cast of actors of Chinese ethnicity, including Chow Yun-fat, ...

'' ‡ * 2001:

– '' A Beautiful Mind'' † ** * 2002: Rob Marshall – ''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

'' ‡ ** * 2003:

Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known as the director, writer and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy ( ...

– '' The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' † ** * 2004:

– ''

Million Dollar Baby ''Million Dollar Baby'' is a 2004 American sports drama film directed, co-produced, scored by and starring Clint Eastwood from a screenplay written by Paul Haggis, based on stories from the 2000 collection ''Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner' ...

'' † ** * 2005:

– ''

Brokeback Mountain ''Brokeback Mountain'' is a 2005 American neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, the screenplay was written ...

'' † * 2006:

– ''

The Departed ''The Departed'' is a 2006 American epic crime thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan. It is both a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film '' Infernal Affairs'' and also loosely based on the real-life Boston Win ...

'' † ** * 2007: Joel and Ethan Coen – ''

No Country for Old Men ''No Country for Old Men'' is a 2007 American neo-Western crime thriller film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, based on Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel of the same name. Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin, th ...

'' † ** * 2008:

Danny Boyle Daniel Francis Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and producer. He is known for his work on films including '' Shallow Grave'', '' Trainspotting'' and its sequel '' T2 Trainspotting'', '' The Beach'', ''28 Days Later'', '' S ...

– ''

Slumdog Millionaire ''Slumdog Millionaire'' is a 2008 British drama film that is a loose adaptation of the novel '' Q & A'' (2005) by Indian author Vikas Swarup. It narrates the story of 18-year-old Jamal Malik from the Juhu slums of Mumbai. Starring Dev Pa ...

'' † ** * 2009:

Kathryn Bigelow Kathryn Ann Bigelow (; born November 27, 1951) is an American filmmaker. Covering a wide range of genres, her films include '' Near Dark'' (1987), '' Point Break'' (1991), '' Strange Days'' (1995), '' K-19: The Widowmaker'' (2002), ''The Hurt Loc ...

– ''

The Hurt Locker ''The Hurt Locker'' is a 2008 American war thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. It stars Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Christian Camargo, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, and Guy Pearce. The film follow ...

'' † ** * 2010:

Tom Hooper Thomas George Hooper (born 5 October 1972)''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005''. 5d: 2485. is a British-Australian filmmaker. Hooper began making short films as a teenager and had his first professional short, ...

– ''

The King's Speech ''The King's Speech'' is a 2010 British historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler. Colin Firth plays the future King George VI who, to cope with a stammer, sees Lionel Logue, an Australian speech and language ...

'' † ** * 2011: Michel Hazanavicius – '' The Artist'' † ** * 2012:

Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS education ...

– ''

Argo In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of ...

'' § ** * 2013:

Alfonso Cuarón Alfonso Cuarón Orozco ( , ; born 28 November 1961) is a Mexican filmmaker. He is known for directing films in a variety of genres including the family drama ''A Little Princess'' (1995), the romantic drama ''Great Expectations'' (1998), the c ...

– ''

Gravity In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, approximately 1038 times weaker than the stro ...

'' † * 2014: Alejandro G. Iñárritu – '' Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)'' † ** * 2015: Alejandro G. Iñárritu – '' The Revenant'' † * 2016:

Damien Chazelle Damien Sayre Chazelle (; born January 19, 1985) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is known for his films '' Whiplash'' (2014), '' La La Land'' (2016), and '' First Man'' (2018). For ''Whiplash'', he was nominated for t ...

– '' La La Land'' † * 2017:

Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born October 9, 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and actor. He directed the Academy Award–winning fantasy films ''Pan's Labyrinth'' (2006) and '' The Shape of Water'' (2017), winning the Academy Awards for ...

– '' The Shape of Water'' † ** * 2018:

— ''

Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: Places Australia * Roma, Queensland, a town ** Roma Airport ** Roma Courthouse ** Electoral district of Roma, defunct ** Town of Roma, defunct town, now part of the Maranoa Regional Council * Roma Street, Brisbane, a ...

'' † * 2019:

— '' 1917'' ‡ * 2020:

Chloe Zhao Chloe (; ), also spelled Chloë, Chlöe, or Chloé, is a feminine name meaning "blooming" or "fertility" in Greek. The name ultimately derives, through Greek, from the Proto-Indo-European root ', which relates to the colors yellow and green. ...

— ''

Nomadland ''Nomadland'' is a 2020 American drama film written, produced, edited and directed by Chloé Zhao. Based on the 2017 nonfiction book '' Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century'' by Jessica Bruder, it stars Frances McDormand a ...

'' † ** * 2021:

Jane Campion Dame Elizabeth Jane Campion (born 30 April 1954) is a New Zealand filmmaker. She is best known for writing and directing the critically acclaimed films ''The Piano'' (1993) and '' The Power of the Dog'' (2021), for which she has received a tot ...

— '' The Power of the Dog'' † # † – Director won the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. # ‡ – Director did not win the

. # § – Director was not nominated for

that year. # ** - Film also won the

Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only categ ...

. # ¿ – Originally, the DGA used a non-calendar year for its award. Both films competed in the 22nd Academy Awards for 1949, and both directors were nominated for Best Director; Mankiewicz won. ''

'' won Best Picture; Rossen's DGA was not awarded until after the Oscars. (Beginning with the 1951 award in 1952, the DGA has been always awarded before the Oscars.)

Outstanding Achievement in Documentary

* 1991: Barbara Kopple – '' American Dream'' * 1992: Joe Berlinger and

Bruce Sinofsky Bruce Sinofsky (March 31, 1956 – February 21, 2015) was an American documentary film director, particularly known for his films the ''Paradise Lost'' trilogy, '' Brother's Keeper'' and '' Metallica: Some Kind of Monster'', all created with Joe B ...

– '' Brother's Keeper'' * 1993:

Terry Zwigoff Terry Zwigoff (born May 18, 1949) is an American filmmaker whose work often deals with misfits, antiheroes, and themes of alienation. He first garnered attention for his work in documentary filmmaking with ''Louie Bluie'' (1985) and '' Crumb'' ( ...

– '' Crumb'' * 1994: Steve James – '' Hoop Dreams'' * 1995: No award * 1996:

Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy ...

– '' Looking for Richard'' * 1997: Michael Uys and Lexy Lovell – ''Riding the Rails'' * 1998: Jerry Blumenthal, Peter Gilbert, and

Gordon Quinn Gordon Quinn is Artistic Director and founding member of Kartemquin Films and a 2007 recipient of the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Gordon Quinn has been making documentaries for over 45 years and has produced or dire ...

– ''

Vietnam, Long Time Coming ''Vietnam, Long Time Coming'' is a 1998 documentary directed by Jerry Blumenthal, Peter Gilbert, and Gordon Quinn and distributed by Kartemquin Films. The film follows a 16-day, 1100 mile bicycle expedition through once war-torn Northern and Sout ...

'' * 1999:

Nanette Burstein Nanette Burstein (born May 23, 1970) is an American film and television director. Burstein has produced, directed, and co-directed several documentaries including the Academy Award nominated and Sundance Special Jury Prize winning film '' On th ...

and

Brett Morgen Brett D. Morgen (born October 11, 1968) is an American documentary filmmaker. His directorial credits include ''The Kid Stays in the Picture'' (2002), '' Crossfire Hurricane'' (2012), '' Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck'' (2015), ''Jane'' (2017), an ...

– '' On the Ropes'' * 2000: Chuck Braverman – ''High School Boot Camp'' * 2001:

Chris Hegedus Chris Hegedus (born April 23, 1952) is an American documentary filmmaker. She and her husband, filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker, founded the company Pennebaker Hegedus Films. Hegedus was nominated for an Academy Award for ''The War Room'', a behind-t ...

and

Jehane Noujaim Jehane Noujaim ( ar, جيهان نجيم, ) (born May 17, 1974) is an Academy Award nominated American documentary film director best known for her films ''Control Room'', '' Startup.com'', '' Pangea Day'' and '' The Square.'' In 2019, she co-di ...

– ''

Startup.com ''Startup.com'' is a 2001 American documentary film directed by Jehane Noujaim and Chris Hegedus. D.A. Pennebaker served as a producer on the film. It follows the dot-com start-up govWorks.com, which raised $60 million in funding from Hearst ...

'' * 2002: Tasha Oldham – ''The Smith Family'' * 2003:

Nathaniel Kahn Nathaniel Kahn (born November 9, 1962, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American filmmaker. His documentaries '' My Architect'' (2003) – about his father, the architect Louis Kahn – and '' Two Hands'' (2006) were nominated for Academy A ...

– '' My Architect'' * 2004:

Byambasuren Davaa Byambasuren Davaa, also known as Davaagiin Byambasüren ( mn, Даваагийн Бямбасүрэн; born 1971 in Ulaanbaatar), is a Mongolian filmmaker currently residing in Germany. Between 1995 and 1998 she studied at the Movie Academy in Ul ...

and Luigi Falorni – '' The Story of the Weeping Camel'' * 2005:

Werner Herzog Werner Herzog (; born 5 September 1942) is a German film director, screenwriter, author, actor, and opera director, regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema. His films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with u ...

– ''

Grizzly Man ''Grizzly Man'' (2005) is an American documentary film by German director Werner Herzog. It chronicles the life and death of bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell and the death of his girlfriend Amie Huguenard at Katmai National Park, Alaska. The fi ...

'' * 2006: Arūnas Matelis – '' Before Flying Back to Earth'' * 2007: Asger Leth – ''Ghosts of Cité Soleil'' * 2008: Ari Folman – '' Waltz with Bashir'' * 2009: Louie Psihoyos – '' The Cove'' * 2010: Charles Ferguson – ''

Inside Job An insider threat is a malicious threat to an organization that comes from people within the organization, such as employees, former employees, contractors or business associates, who have inside information concerning the organization's security ...

'' * 2011: James Marsh – '' Project Nim'' * 2012: Malik Bendjelloul – '' Searching for Sugar Man'' * 2013:

– '' The Square'' * 2014:

Laura Poitras Laura Poitras (; born February 2, 1964) is an American director and producer of documentary films. Poitras has received numerous awards for her work, including the 2015 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for '' Citizenfour'', about Ed ...

– '' Citizenfour'' * 2015:

Matthew Heineman Matthew Heineman is an American filmmaker. The Sundance Film Festival called Heineman "one of the most talented and exciting documentary filmmakers working today", while Anne Thompson of ''Indiewire'' wrote that Heineman is a "respected and gif ...

– ''

Cartel Land ''Cartel Land'' is a 2015 American documentary film directed by Matthew Heineman about the Mexican Drug War, especially vigilante groups fighting Mexican drug cartels. The film focuses on Tim "Nailer" Foley, the leader of Arizona Border Rec ...

'' * 2016: Ezra Edelman – '' O.J.: Made in America'' * 2017:

– '' City of Ghosts'' * 2018: Tim Wardle – '' Three Identical Strangers'' * 2019:

Steven Bognar Steven Bognar (born 1963) is an American film director. An Oscar-winning and award-winning documentary filmmaker, his films have been screened at SXSW, Sundance, and the Ann Arbor Film Festival. Bognar has also worked as an instructor of medi ...

and Julia Reichert — '' American Factory'' * 2020:

Michael Dweck Michael Dweck (born September 26, 1957) is an American visual artist and filmmaker. Best known for his narrative photography, Dweck's work "explores ongoing struggles between identity and adaptation in endangered societal enclaves." In 2003, he ...

& Gregory Kershaw — ''

The Truffle Hunters ''The Truffle Hunters'' is a 2020 documentary film directed and produced by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw. It follows a group of aging men hunting in the woods, for a prized quarry, the Alba truffle. Luca Guadagnino serves as an executive p ...

'' * 2021:

Stanley Nelson Jr. Stanley Earl Nelson Jr. (born June 7, 1951) is an American documentary filmmaker and a MacArthur Fellow known as a director, writer and producer of documentaries examining African-American history and experiences. He is a recipient of the 2013 N ...

— ''

Attica Attica ( el, Αττική, Ancient Greek ''Attikḗ'' or , or ), or the Attic Peninsula, is a historical region that encompasses the city of Athens, the capital of Greece and its countryside. It is a peninsula projecting into the Aegean ...

Outstanding Achievement in First-Time Feature Film

* 2015: Alex Garland – '' Ex Machina'' * 2016:

Garth Davis Garth Davis (born 1974) is an Australian television, advertising and film director, best known for directing the film ''Lion'' (2016), and the film ''Mary Magdalene'', written by Helen Edmundson. He earlier directed episodes of the series '' T ...

– ''

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...

'' * 2017:

Jordan Peele Jordan Haworth Peele (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his film and television work in the comedy and horror genres. Peele's breakout role came in 2003, when he was hired as a cast membe ...

– '' Get Out'' * 2018:

Bo Burnham Robert Pickering "Bo" Burnham (born 1990) is an American comedian, musician, songwriter, actor, and filmmaker. His comedy work often combines musical, sketch, and stand-up elements with filmmaking. Following his success as one of the earlie ...

– ''

Eighth Grade Eighth grade (or grade eight in some regions) is the eighth post-kindergarten year of formal education in the US. The eighth grade is the ninth school year, the second, third, fourth, or final year of middle school, or the second and/or final ye ...

'' * 2019:

Alma Har'el Alma Har'el ( he, עלמה הראל) is an Israeli-American music video and film director. She is best known for her 2019 feature film debut '' Honey Boy'', for which she won a Directors Guild of America Award. Her 2011 documentary '' Bombay B ...

— '' Honey Boy'' * 2020: Darius Marder — '' Sound of Metal'' * 2021:

Maggie Gyllenhaal Margalit Ruth "Maggie" Gyllenhaal (; born November 16, 1977) is an American actress and filmmaker. Part of the Gyllenhaal family, she is the daughter of filmmakers Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Achs, and the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenh ...

– '' The Lost Daughter''

Winners – Television

Lifetime Achievement Award

* 2014:

James Burrows James Edward Burrows (born December 30, 1940), sometimes known as Jim "Jimmy" Burrows, is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.Stated in interview on '' Inside the Actors Studio'' Burrows has dire ...

and Robert Butler * 2015: Joe Pytka * 2018: Don Mischer * 2022: Robert A. Fishman

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials

* 2012:

Alejandro González Iñárritu Alejandro González Iñárritu (; American Spanish: ; credited since 2016 as Alejandro G. Iñárritu; born 15 August 1963) is a Mexican filmmaker and screenwriter. He is primarily known for making modern psychological drama films about the hu ...

(''

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer he ...

'', "Best Job")

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series

* 1990:

– ''

Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...

'' (" Woody Interruptus") * 1991: Peter Bonerz – ''

Murphy Brown ''Murphy Brown'' is an American television sitcom created by Diane English that premiered on November 14, 1988, on CBS. The series stars Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for ''FYI'', a ...

'' ("Uh-Oh: Part 2") * 1992:

Tom Cherones Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

– ''

Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself and ...

'' (" The Contest") * 1993:

– ''

Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee (as Grub ...

'' (" The Good Son") * 1994: David Lee – ''

'' ("

The Matchmaker ''The Matchmaker'' is a 1954 play by Thornton Wilder, a rewritten version of his 1938 play ''The Merchant of Yonkers''. History The play has a long and colorful history. John Oxenford's 1835 one-act farce ''A Day Well Spent'' had been extend ...

") * 1995: Gordon Hunt – ''

Mad About You ''Mad About You'' is an American television sitcom starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a married couple in New York City. It initially aired on NBC from September 23, 1992, to May 24, 1999, winning numerous awards including four Golden Glob ...

'' ("The Alan Brady Show") * 1996: Andy Ackerman – ''

'' ("

The Rye "The Rye" is the 121st episode of the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld''. It was the 11th episode of the seventh season, originally airing on January 4, 1996. It was written by American comedian Carol Leifer. In this episode, Elaine's relationship with he ...

") * 1997: Andy Ackerman – ''

'' ("

The Betrayal "The Betrayal" is the 164th episode of the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld''. This was the eighth episode for the ninth and final season. It aired on November 20, 1997. In this episode, Jerry betrays George by having sex with his girlfriend Nina, right befo ...

") * 1998: Thomas Schlamme – '' Sports Night'' (" Pilot") * 1999: Thomas Schlamme – '' Sports Night'' (" Small Town") * 2000:

– ''

Will & Grace ''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman ( Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler ( Debra Messi ...

'' ("Lows in the Mid-Eighties") * 2001: Todd Holland – ''

Malcolm in the Middle ''Malcolm in the Middle'' is an American family television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for Fox. The series premiered on January 9, 2000, and ended on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes. The series follows a dysfunction ...

'' ("

Bowling Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), though ...

") * 2002:

Bryan Gordon Bryan Gordon is an American film and television director, writer and producer who is primarily known for directing comedy television shows. Early life Gordon was born and raised in Dover, Delaware. He graduated from Dover High School. He grad ...

– ''

Curb Your Enthusiasm ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' is an American television sitcom produced and broadcast by HBO since October 15, 2000, and created by Larry David, who stars as a semi-fictionalized version of himself. It follows David's life as a semi-retired televi ...

'' ("The Special Section") * 2003:

Tim Van Patten Timothy Van Patten (born June 10, 1959) is an American director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He has directed episodes of ''Perry Mason'', ''Boardwalk Empire'', '' Black Mirror'', '' Deadwood'', '' Ed'', '' Game of Thrones'', '' The Pacific ...

– ''

Sex and the City ''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. An adaptation of Candace Bushnell's newspaper column and 1996 book anthology of the same name, the series premiered in the United Stat ...

'' ("Boy, Interrupted") * 2004:

– ''

'' ("An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux") * 2005: Marc Buckland – ''

My Name Is Earl ''My Name Is Earl'' is an American television sitcom created by Greg Garcia that aired on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States. It was produced by 20th Century Fox Television and starred Ja ...

'' (" Pilot") * 2006: Richard Shepard – ''

Ugly Betty ''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which was originally broadcast on ABC. It premiered on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombi ...

'' (" Pilot") * 2007:

Barry Sonnenfeld Barry Sonnenfeld (born April 1, 1953) is an American filmmaker and television director. He originally worked as a cinematographer for the Coen brothers before directing films such as ''The Addams Family'' (1991) and its sequel '' Addams Family V ...

– ''

Pushing Daisies ''Pushing Daisies'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007, to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life ...

'' (" Pie-lette") * 2008:

Paul Feig Paul Samuel Feig (; born September 17, 1962) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is known for directing films starring frequent collaborator Melissa McCarthy, including '' Bridesmaids'' (2011), '' The Heat'' (2013), '' Spy'' (20 ...

– ''

The Office ''The Office'' is a mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first made in the United Kingdom, then Germany, and subsequently the United States. It has since been remade in ten other countries. The original ser ...

'' (" Dinner Party") * 2009: Jason Winer – ''

Modern Family ''Modern Family'' is an American family sitcom television series created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan for the American Broadcasting Company. It ran for 11 seasons, from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020. It follows the lives of th ...

'' (" Pilot") * 2010: Michael Spiller – ''

'' ("

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observan ...

") * 2011:

Robert B. Weide Robert B. Weide (born June 20, 1959) is an American screenwriter, producer, and director. He has directed a number of documentaries and was the principal director and an executive producer of ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' for the show's first five ye ...

– ''

'' ("Palestinian Chicken") * 2012: Lena Dunham – ''

Girls A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. When a girl becomes an adult, she is accurately described as a ''woman''. However, the term ''girl'' is also used for other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.c ...

'' ("Pilot") * 2013: Beth McCarthy-Miller – ''

30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live'', tak ...

'' (" Hogcock!" / " Last Lunch") * 2014: Jill Soloway – '' Transparent'' ("Best New Girl") * 2015:

Chris Addison Christopher David Addison (born 5 November 1971) is a British comedian, writer, actor, and director. He is perhaps best known for his role as a regular panellist on '' Mock the Week''. He is also known for his lecture-style comedy shows, two o ...

– ''

Veep ''Veep'' is an American political satire comedy television series that aired on HBO from April 22, 2012, to May 12, 2019. The series was created by Armando Iannucci as an adaptation of his sitcom '' The Thick of It''. The protagonist of ''Veep ...

'' ("Election Night") * 2016: Becky Martin – ''

'' ("Inauguration") * 2017: Beth McCarthy-Miller – ''

'' ("Chicklet") * 2018:

Bill Hader William Thomas Hader Jr.''Finding Your Roots'', January 26, 2016, PBS. (born June 7, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the creator, producer, writer, director, and star of the HBO dark comedy series ''Barry'' (201 ...

– ''

Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 195 ...

'' ("Chapter One: Make Your Mark") * 2019:

– ''

'' ("ronny/lily") * 2020:

Susanna Fogel Susanna Fogel is an American director, screenwriter and author, best known for co-writing the 2019 film ''Booksmart'' and for co-writing and directing the 2018 action/comedy ''The Spy Who Dumped Me''. Her many accolades include a DGA Award and no ...

– '' The Flight Attendant'' ("In Case of Emergency") * 2021: Lucia Aniello – '' Hacks'' ("

There Is No Line "There Is No Line" is the pilot episode of the American comedy-drama television series ''Hacks''. It was directed by Lucia Aniello and co-written with Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky. The episode establishes the plot of the series, which center ...

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series

* 1971:

Daniel Petrie Daniel Mannix Petrie (November 26, 1920 – August 22, 2004) was a Canadian film, television, and stage director who worked in Canada, Hollywood, and the United Kingdom; known for directing grounded human dramas often dealing with taboo subject ...

– '' The Man and the City'' ("Hands of Love") * 1972: Robert Butler – ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book '' Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 fil ...

'' ("Dust Bowl Cousins") * 1973:

Charles S. Dubin Charles Samuel Dubin (February 1, 1919 – September 5, 2011) was an American film and television director. From the early 1950s to 1991, Dubin worked in television, directing episodes of ''Tales of Tomorrow'', '' Omnibus'', '' The Defenders'', ...

– '' Kojak'' ("Knockover") * 1974: David Friedkin – '' Kojak'' ("Cross Your Heart, Hope to Die") * 1975: James Cellan Jones – ''Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill'' * 1976:

Glenn Jordan Glenn Jordan (born April 5, 1936) is a retired American television director and producer. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Jordan directed multiple episodes of '' Family'' and helmed numerous television movies, several based on real persons as div ...

– ''

Family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

'' ("Rites of Friendship") * 1977:

John Erman John Erman (August 3, 1935 – June 25, 2021) was an American television director, producer, and actor. He was nominated for ten Primetime Emmy Awards, winning once for the film ''Who Will Love My Children?'' (1983). He also won two Directors Gu ...

– ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...

'' ("Part II") * 1978: Gene Reynolds – '' Lou Grant'' ("Prisoner") * 1979: Roger Young – '' Lou Grant'' ("Cop") * 1980: Roger Young – '' Lou Grant'' ("Lou") * 1981: Robert Butler – ''

Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station loca ...

'' (" Hill Street Station") * 1982:

David Anspaugh David Anspaugh (born September 24, 1946) is an American television and film director. Professional career After earning a bachelor's degree from Indiana University Bloomington, Anspaugh moved to Aspen, Colorado, where he worked as a substitute t ...

– ''

'' ("Personal Foul") * 1983:

Jeff Bleckner Jeff Bleckner (born August 12, 1943) is an American theatre and television director. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bleckner made his directorial debut off-Broadway with ''The Unseen Hand/Forensic and the Navigators'', an evening of one- ...

– ''

'' ("Life in the Minors") * 1984: Thomas Carter – ''

'' ("The Rise and Fall of Paul the Wall") * 1985:

Will Mackenzie Will Mackenzie (born July 24, 1938) is an American television director and actor. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Mackenzie began his professional career as an actor, making his Broadway debut in 1965 in the original production of the musica ...

– ''

Moonlighting Moonlighting may refer to: * Side job, a job taken in addition to one's primary employment Entertainment * ''Moonlighting'' (film), a 1982 drama film by Jerzy Skolimowski * ''Moonlighting'' (TV series), 1985–1989 American television series, s ...

'' ("My Fair David") * 1986:

– ''

'' ("Atomic Shakespeare") * 1987:

Marshall Herskovitz Marshall Schreiber Herskovitz (born February 23, 1952) is an American film director, writer, and producer, and currently the President Emeritus of the Producers Guild of America. Among his productions are ''Traffic'', '' The Last Samurai'', '' ...

– '' thirtysomething'' ("Pilot") * 1988:

– '' thirtysomething'' ("Therapy") * 1989:

Eric Laneuville Eric Gerard Laneuville (born July 14, 1952) is an American television director, producer and actor. His first acting roles were in the science-fiction film ''The Omega Man'' (1971) with Charlton Heston, and the ABC television series '' Room 222 ...

– '' L.A. Law'' ("I'm in the Nude for Love") * 1990: Michael Zinberg – ''

Quantum Leap ''Quantum Leap'' is an American science fiction television series, created by Donald P. Bellisario, that premiered on NBC and aired for five seasons, from March 26, 1989, to May 5, 1993. The series stars Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, a phys ...

'' ("The Leap Home" – Part II) * 1991:

– ''I'll Fly Away (TV series), I'll Fly Away'' ("All God's Children") * 1992: Rob Thompson (director), Rob Thompson – ''Northern Exposure'' ("Cicely") * 1993: Gregory Hoblit – ''NYPD Blue'' ("Pilot (NYPD Blue), Pilot") * 1994: Charles Haid – ''ER (TV series), ER'' ("Into That Good Night") * 1995: Christopher Chulack – ''ER (TV series), ER'' ("Hell and High Water") * 1996: Christopher Chulack – ''ER (TV series), ER'' ("Fear of Flying") * 1997: Barbara Kopple – ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' ("The Documentary") * 1998: Paris Barclay – ''NYPD Blue'' ("Hearts and Souls") * 1999: David Chase – ''The Sopranos'' ("The Sopranos (episode), The Sopranos") * 2000: Thomas Schlamme – ''The West Wing'' ("Noël (The West Wing), Noël") * 2001: Alan Ball (screenwriter), Alan Ball – ''Six Feet Under (TV series), Six Feet Under'' ("Pilot (Six Feet Under), Pilot") * 2002: John Patterson (director), John Patterson – ''The Sopranos'' ("Whitecaps (The Sopranos), Whitecaps") * 2003: Christopher Misiano – ''The West Wing'' ("Twenty Five (The West Wing), Twenty Five") * 2004: Walter Hill (director), Walter Hill – ''Deadwood (TV series), Deadwood'' ("Deadwood") * 2005: Michael Apted – ''Rome (TV series), Rome'' ("The Stolen Eagle") * 2006: Jon Cassar – ''24 (TV series), 24'' ("Day 5: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.") * 2007: Alan Taylor (director), Alan Taylor – ''Mad Men'' ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Mad Men), Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") * 2008: Dan Attias – ''The Wire'' ("Transitions (The Wire), Transitions") * 2009: Lesli Linka Glatter – ''Mad Men'' ("Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency") * 2010:

– ''Boardwalk Empire'' ("Boardwalk Empire (episode), Boardwalk Empire") * 2011: Patty Jenkins – ''The Killing (U.S. TV series), The Killing'' ("Pilot (The Killing), Pilot") * 2012: Rian Johnson – ''Breaking Bad'' ("Fifty-One") * 2013: Vince Gilligan – ''Breaking Bad'' ("Felina (Breaking Bad), Felina") * 2014: Lesli Linka Glatter – ''Homeland (TV series), Homeland'' ("From A to B and Back Again") * 2015: David Nutter – ''Game of Thrones'' ("Mother's Mercy") * 2016: Miguel Sapochnik – ''Game of Thrones'' ("Battle of the Bastards") * 2017: Reed Morano – ''The Handmaid's Tale (TV series), The Handmaid's Tale'' ("Offred") * 2018: Adam McKay – ''Succession (TV series), Succession'' ("Celebration") * 2019: Nicole Kassell – ''Watchmen (TV series), Watchmen'' ("It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice") * 2020: Lesli Linka Glatter – ''Homeland (TV series), Homeland (''"Prisoners of War (Homeland), Prisoners of War") * 2021: Mark Mylod – ''Succession (TV series), Succession'' ("All the Bells Say")

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs

* 1984: Sharron Miller – ''The Woman Who Willed a Miracle'' * 1996: Stuart Margolin – ''Salt Water Moose'' * 1997: Brian Robbins – ''Nickelodeon Sports Theater'' ("First Time") * 1998: Mitchell Kriegman – ''Bear in the Big Blue House'' ("Love Is All You Need") * 1999: Amy Schatz – ''Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepy Time Tales'' * 2000: Greg Beeman – ''Miracle in Lane 2'' * 2001: Amy Schatz – '' 'Twas the Night: A Holiday Celebration'' * 2002: Guy Ferland – ''Bang Bang You're Dead (film), Bang Bang You're Dead'' * 2003: Kevin Lima – ''Eloise at Christmastime'' * 2004: Stuart Gillard – ''Going to the Mat'' * 2005: Chris Eyre – ''Edge of America'' * 2006: Kenny Ortega – ''High School Musical'' * 2007: Paul Hoen – ''Jump In!'' * 2008: Amy Schatz – ''Classical Baby'' ("The Poetry Show") * 2009: Allison Liddi-Brown – ''Princess Protection Program'' * 2010: Eric Bross – ''The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (2010 film), The Boy Who Cried Werewolf'' * 2011: Amy Schatz – ''A Child's Garden of Poetry'' * 2012: Paul Hoen – ''Let It Shine (film), Let It Shine'' * 2013: Amy Schatz – ''An Apology to Elephants'' * 2014: Jonathan Judge – ''100 Things To Do Before High School'' ("Pilot") * 2015: Kenny Ortega – ''Descendants (2015 film), Descendants'' * 2016: Tina Mabry – ''An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win'' * 2017: Niki Caro – ''Anne with an E'' ("Your Will Shall Decide Your Destiny")

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials (1991–2012)

* 1991: Michael Stich – ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' ("Episode #1103") * 1992: Susan Strickler – ''Another World (TV series), Another World'' ("Episode 7022") * 1993: Jill Mitwell – ''One Life to Live'' ("Episode 6356") * 1994: Michael Stich – ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' ("Episode 1884") * 1995: William Ludel and Alan Pultz – ''General Hospital'' ("Episode 8248") * 1996: Kathyrn Foster and Mike Denney – ''The Young and the Restless'' ("Episode 5875") * 1997: Scott McKinsey – ''General Hospital'' ("Episode #8883") * 1998: James Sayegh – ''One Life to Live'' ("Episode #7572") * 1999: Herb D. Stein and Roger W. Inman – ''Days of Our Lives'' ("Episode #8557") * 2000: Jill Mitwell – ''One Life to Live'' ("Episode #8205") * 2001: William Ludel – ''General Hospital'' ("Episode #9801") * 2002: Scott McKinsey – ''Port Charles'' ("Episode #1433") * 2003: Larry Carpenter – ''One Life to Live'' ("Episode #8849") * 2004: Bruce S. Barry – ''Guiding Light'' ("Episode #14,321") * 2005: Owen Renfroe – ''General Hospital'' ("Episode #10914") * 2006: Jill Mitwell – ''One Life to Live'' ("Episode #9779") * 2007: Larry Carpenter – ''One Life to Live'' ("Episode #9947") * 2008: Larry Carpenter – ''One Life to Live'' ("Episode #10281") * 2009: Christopher Goutman – ''As the World Turns'' ("Once Upon a Time") * 2010: Larry Carpenter – ''One Life to Live'' ("Starr X'd Lovers: The Musical – Part II") * 2011: William Ludel – ''General Hospital'' ("Intervention") * 2012: Jill Mitwell – ''One Life to Live'' ("Between Heaven and Hell")

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs (2005–present)

* 2005: Tony Croll – ''Three Wishes (U.S. TV series), Three Wishes'' ("Pilot") & J. Rupert Thompson – ''Fear Factor'' ("Heist Fear Factor") (TIE) * 2006: Tony Sacco – ''Treasure Hunters (TV series), Treasure Hunters'' ("Episode #101") * 2007: Bertram van Munster – ''The Amazing Race (American TV series), The Amazing Race'' ("Episode #1110") * 2008: Tony Croll – ''America's Next Top Model'' ("Episode 1002") * 2009: Craig Borders – ''Extreme Engineering'' ("Hong Kong Bridge") * 2010: Eytan Keller – ''The Next Iron Chef'' ("Episode #301") * 2011: Neil P. DeGroot – ''The Biggest Loser (U.S. TV series), The Biggest Loser'' ("Episode #1115") * 2012: Brian Smith – ''MasterChef (U.S. TV series), MasterChef'' ("Episode #305") * 2013: Neil P. DeGroot – ''72 Hours (TV series), 72 Hours'' ("The Lost Coast") * 2014: Anthony B. Sacco – ''The Chair'' ("The Test") * 2015: Adam Vetri – ''Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge'' ("Gods of War") * 2016: J. Rupert Thompson – ''American Grit'' ("Over the Falls") * 2017: Brian Smith – ''MasterChef (U.S. TV series), MasterChef'' ("Vegas Deluxe & Oyster Schucks")

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Miniseries

* 2000:

– ''The Beach Boys: An American Family'' * 2001: Frank Pierson – ''Conspiracy (2001 film), Conspiracy'' * 2002: Mick Jackson (director), Mick Jackson – ''Live from Baghdad (film), Live from Baghdad'' * 2003:

– ''Angels in America (miniseries), Angels in America'' * 2004: Joseph Sargent – ''Something the Lord Made'' * 2005: George C. Wolfe – ''Lackawanna Blues (film), Lackawanna Blues'' * 2006: Walter Hill (director), Walter Hill – ''Broken Trail'' * 2007: Yves Simoneau – ''Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (film), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee'' * 2008: Jay Roach – ''Recount (film), Recount'' * 2009: Ross Katz – ''Taking Chance'' * 2010: Mick Jackson (director), Mick Jackson – ''Temple Grandin (film), Temple Grandin'' * 2011: Jon Cassar – ''The Kennedys (miniseries), The Kennedys'' * 2012: Jay Roach – ''Game Change (film), Game Change'' * 2013: Steven Soderbergh – ''Behind the Candelabra'' * 2014: Lisa Cholodenko – ''Olive Kitteridge (miniseries), Olive Kitteridge'' * 2015: Dee Rees – ''Bessie (film), Bessie'' * 2016: Steve Zaillian – ''The Night Of'' ("The Beach") * 2017: Jean-Marc Vallée – ''Big Little Lies (TV series), Big Little Lies'' * 2018: Ben Stiller – ''Escape at Dannemora'' * 2019: Johan Renck – ''Chernobyl (miniseries), Chernobyl''

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Variety/Talk/News/Sports Series (2013–present)

:''Note: This award is for regular programming.'' * 2013: Don Roy King – ''Saturday Night Live'' ("Justin Timberlake") * 2014: Dave Diomedi – ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' ("Episode #1") * 2015: Dave Diomedi – ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' ("Episode #325") * 2016: Don Roy King – ''Saturday Night Live'' ("Dave Chappelle") * 2017: Don Roy King – ''Saturday Night Live'' ("Jimmy Fallon")

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Variety/Talk/News/Sports Special (2013–present)

:''Note: This award is for special programs.'' * 2013: Glenn Weiss – 67th Tony Awards * 2014: Glenn Weiss – 68th Tony Awards * 2015: Don Roy King – ''Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special'' * 2016: Glenn Weiss – 70th Tony Awards * 2017: Glenn Weiss – 89th Academy Awards

External links

{{Film awards American film awards American television awards Directors Guild of America Awards, Lists of films by award

Categories

Competitive categories

Special awards

Discontinued categories

Winners – Motion Picture

Lifetime Achievement Award

Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film

Outstanding Achievement in Documentary

Outstanding Achievement in First-Time Feature Film

Winners – Television

Lifetime Achievement Award

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials (1991–2012)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs (2005–present)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Miniseries

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Variety/Talk/News/Sports Series (2013–present)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Variety/Talk/News/Sports Special (2013–present)

See also

External links