With the Directors Guild of America’s announcement of their film and television nominees, this year’s award season contenders are officially off to the races.
The DGA’s top film category, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film, includes Lee Isaac Chung for A24’s “Minari,” Emerald Fennell for Focus Features’ “Promising Young Woman,” David Fincher for Netflix’s “Mank,” Aaron Sorkin for Netflix’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” and Chloé Zhao for Searchlight Pictures’ “Nomadland.” Zhao recently triumphed at both the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards for her direction; she is also the writer, editor, and producer behind the film.
“Throughout these challenging and isolating times, the universal power of film has served such a meaningful role in our culture—helping fulfill our needs for human connection, expanding our worldviews, and keeping us inspired through stunning storytelling and artistry,” said DGA President Thomas Schlamme in a statement. “I congratulate our five nominees whose diverse and extraordinary films embodied that universal power in a year that will never be forgotten.”
Recognized in the DGA’s first-time feature film director category are Radha Blank for Netflix’s “The Forty-Year-Old Version,” Fernando Frías de la Parra for Netflix’s “I’m No Longer Here,” Regina King for Amazon Studios’ “One Night in Miami,” Darius Marder for Amazon’s “Sound of Metal,” and Florian Zeller for Sony Pictures Classics’ “The Father.”
The directors behind some of the year’s buzziest small-screen efforts were also anointed; following up on Emmy Award directing wins are Jason Bateman of Netflix’s “Ozark,” Vince Gilligan of AMC’s “Better Call Saul,” Susanne Bier of HBO’s “The Undoing,” Don Roy King of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” and more.
Honoring behind-the-camera achievements of Hollywood’s best, the 73rd annual DGA Awards will take place—in a virtual format—April 10. For a full list of nominees and more on the Guild, click here.
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