This year's Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards are set to be a battle of first-time nominees, sparking buzz and setting the stage for an exhilarating Oscar season.
- Jan 9, 2025
AceShowbiz - The movie nominations for the 2025 Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards have unveiled a mix of predictability and shock, as both industry veterans and emerging talents prepare to vie for one of cinema's most prestigious honors. These nominations not only recognize exemplary filmmaking but also set the pace for the looming Academy Awards.
Leading the pack for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film are Jacques Audiard ("Emilia Perez"), Sean Baker ("Anora"), Edward Berger ("Conclave"), Brady Corbet ("The Brutalist"), and James Mangold ("A Complete Unknown"). Noteworthy is that all five nominees are first-timers for the DGA's top accolade, shining a spotlight on directors who have been on the edge of wider recognition.
Mangold's nod for "A Complete Unknown", thanks to his take on Bob Dylan's electrifying transformation at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, follows his previous acclaimed works like "Walk the Line" and "Ford v Ferrari.
Meanwhile, Edward Berger's spiritual thriller "Conclave" follows his BAFTA victory for "All Quiet on the Western Front".
Among the snubs, Coralie Fargeat ("The Substance") and Denis Villeneuve ("Dune: Part Two") stand out. Fargeat's exclusion removes any female representation from the feature-film category for only the second time in five years. However, the Oscar race remains wide open, as history has shown that the DGA and the Academy do not always align in their choices.
The Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Theatrical Feature Film also highlights fresh faces with Payal Kapadia ("All We Imagine as Light"), Megan Park ("My Old A**"), RaMell Ross ("[m=Nickel Boys"), Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel ("Armand"), and Sean Wang ("Dìdi"). This year marks a significant nod to diversity and innovative storytelling among debut filmmakers.
DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter praised the nominees, stating, "2024 has been a truly extraordinary year for storytelling - and today's nominees have created audacious and unique films that expand the possibilities of cinematic excellence."
The winners will be announced at the 77th Annual DGA Awards on February 8, 2025, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. With high stakes and potential career-defining moments awaiting, this year's awards season promises to be one for the books.
Head to the official DGA website to check out the full nominations list.
