This year, nominees Lee Isaac Chung for “Minari,” Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman,” David Fincher for “Mank,” Aaron Sorkin for “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” and Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland” vied for the top directorial prize for film, with Zhao winning. On the TV side, “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Homeland,” and “The Flight Attendant” won the major prizes, shaking up the race as we head into Emmys season. The DGA prize is often considered a bellwether for the Best Director Oscar. Recent DGA winners that went on to repeat at the Academy Awards include Alfonso Cuarón for “Roma,” Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water,” Damien Chazelle for “La La Land,” and Alejandro G. Iñárritu for both “The Revenant” and “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).” However, last year’s winner, Sam Mendes for “1917,” lost to Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) for Best Director at the Oscars.
Director Betty Thomas received the DGA’s Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award for her “extraordinary service to the guild and its members.” The Frank Capra Achievement Award went to Brian E. Frankish, while the Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award went to Joyce Thomas. Paris Barclay took the organization’s honorary lifetime membership award.
Feature Film
Lee Isaac Chung “Minari” (A24) Emerald Fennell “Promising Young Woman” (Focus Features) David Fincher “Mank” (Netflix) Aaron Sorkin “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix; DreamWorks Pictures) Chloé Zhao “Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures)
First-Time Feature Director
Radha Blank “The Forty-Year-Old Version” (Netflix) Fernando Frías de la Parra “I’m No Longer Here” (Netflix) Florian Zeller “The Father” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Documentary Feature
Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw “The Truffle Hunters” (Sony Pictures Classics) Pippa Ehrlich & James Reed “My Octopus Teacher” (Netflix) David France “Welcome to Chechnya” (HBO Max) Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss “Boys State” (Apple / A24) Benjamin Ree “The Painter and the Thief” (Elevation Pictures)
Comedy Series
Zach Braff “Ted Lasso,” “Biscuits” (Apple TV+) MJ Delaney “Ted Lasso,” “The Hope that Kills You” (Apple TV+) Susanna Fogel “The Flight Attendant,” “In Case of Emergency” (HBO Max) Erin O’Malley “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Surprise Party” (HBO) Jeff Schaffer “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Spite Store” (HBO)
Drama Series
Jason Bateman “Ozark,” “Wartime” (Netflix)
Jon Favreau “The Mandalorian,” “Chapter 9: The Marshal” (Disney+) Vince Gilligan “Better Call Saul,” “Bagman”(AMC) Lesli Linka Glatter “Homeland,” “Prisoners of War” (Showtime) Julie Anne Robinson “Bridgerton,” “Diamond of the First Water” (Netflix)
Movies for Television and Limited Series
Susanne Bier “The Undoing” (HBO) Scott Frank “The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix) Thomas Kail “Hamilton” (Disney+) Matt Shakman “WandaVision” (Disney +) Lynn Shelton “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Find a Way” (Hulu)
Variety Talk/News/Sports (Regularly Scheduled Programming)
Paul G. Casey “Real Time With Bill Maher,” “Episode 1835” (HBO) Jim Hoskinson “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “#1025 Live Show Following Capitol Insurrection” (CBS) Don Roy King “Saturday Night Live,” “Dave Chappelle; Foo Fighters” (NBC) David Paul Meyer “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” “President Obama: Inspiring Future Leaders & ‘A Promised Land’ (Comedy Central) Christopher Werner “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “Trump & Election Results” (HBO)
Variety Talk/News/Sports (Specials)
Stacey Angeles “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Presents ‘Remembering RBG: A Nation Ugly Cried with Desi Lydic’ (Comedy Central) Jim Hoskinson “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand: Building Back America Great Again Better 2020” (Showtime) Spike Lee “American Utopia” (HBO) Thomas Schlamme “A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote” (HBO Max)
Reality Programs
Jon Favreau “The Chef Show,” “Tartine” (Netflix) Ken Fuchs “Shark Tank,” “1211” (ABC) Joseph Guidry “Full Bloom,” “Petal to the Metal” (HBO Max) Rich Kim “Lego Masters,” “Mega City Block” (FOX)
Children’s Programs
Kabir Akhtar “High School Musical: The Musical – The Series,” “Opening Night” (Disney+) Larissa Bills “On Pointe,” “Showtime!”(Disney+) Dean Israelite “The Astronauts,” “Countdown” (Nickelodeon) Richie Keen “The Healing Powers of Dude,” “Second Step: Homeroom” (Netflix) Amy Schatz “We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest” (HBO)
Commercials
Steve Ayson (MJZ) The Great Chase, Nike – Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai Nisha Ganatra (Chelsea Pictures) #wombstories, Bodyform/Libresse – AMVBBDO Niclas Larsson (MJZ) See the Unseen, VW Touareg – adam&eveDDB The Parents, Volvo XC60 – Forsman & Bodenfors Melina Matsoukas (Prettybird) You Love Me, Beats by Dr. Dre – Translation
Taika Waititi (Hungry Man) The Letter, Coca-Cola – Wieden & Kennedy London Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
