FEATURE FILM AWARD DGA’S Site
DGA | Oscar
*film nominated/+ won Best Picture at the Oscars
2011
| Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist | Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist* |
| Martin Scorsese, Hugo | Martin Scorsese, Hugo* |
| Alexander Payne, The Descendants | Alexander Payne, The Descendants* |
| Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris | Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris* |
| David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo | Terrence Malick, Tree of Life* |
2010
| Tom Hooper The King’s Speech | Tom Hooper the King’s Speech+ |
| David Fincher, Social Network | David Fincher, Social Network* |
| Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan | Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan* |
| David O’Russell, The Fighter | David O’Russell, The Fighter* |
| Christopher Nolan, Inception* | The Coens, True Grit* |
2009
| Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker | Bigelow, Hurt Locker+ |
| Lee Daniels, Precious | Lee Daniels, Precious* |
| Jason Reitman, Up in the Air | Jason Reitman, Up in the Air* |
| Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds | Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds* |
| Jim Cameron, Avatar | Jim Cameron, Avatar* |
2008
| Danny Boyle, Slumdog | Danny Boyle, Slumdog+ |
| Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon | Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon* |
| Gus Van Sant, Milk | Gus Van Sant, Milk* |
| David Fincher, Benjamin Button | David Fincher, Benjamin Button* |
| Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight | Stephen Daldry, The Reader* |
2007
| Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country | Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country+ |
| Sean Penn, Into the Wild | Jason Reitman, Juno* |
| Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly | Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly |
| Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton | Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton* |
| Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood | Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood* |
2006
| Stephen Frears, The Queen | Stephen Frears, The Queen* |
| Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel | Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel* |
| Bill Condon, Dreamgirls | Clint Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima* |
| Faris and Dayton, Little Miss Sunshine* | Paul Greengrass, United 93 |
| Martin Scorsese, The Departed | Martin Scorsese, The Departed+ |
2005
| Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain | Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain * |
| George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck | George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck* |
| Paul Haggis, Crash | Paul Haggis, Crash+ |
| Bennett Miller, Capote | Bennett Miller, Capote* |
| Steven Spielberg, Munich | Steven Spielberg, Munich * |
2004
| Alexander Payne for Sideways | Alexander Payne for Sideways* |
| Martin Scorsese for The Aviator | Martin Scorsese for The Aviator* |
| Taylor Hackford for Ray | Taylor Hackford for Ray* |
| Marc Forster for Finding Neverland* | Mike Leigh for Vera Drake |
| Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby | Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby+ |
2003
| Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation | Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation* |
| Clint Eastwood, Mystic River | Clint Eastwood, Mystic River* |
| Peter Jackson, ROTK | Peter Jackson, ROTK+ |
| Peter Weir, Master and Commander | Peter Weir, Master and Commander* |
| Gary Ross, Seabiscuit* | Fernando Merielles, City of God |
2002
| Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York | Martin Scorsese* |
| Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings* | Pedro Almodovar |
| Roman Polanski, The Pianist | Roman Polanski* |
| Rob Marshall, Chicago | Rob Marshall+ |
| Steven Daldry, The Hours | Steven Daldry* |
2001
| Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind | Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind+ |
| Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings | Peter Jackson, LOTR* |
| Christopher Nolan, Memento | Robert Altman, Gosford Park* |
| Ridley Scott, Black Hawk Down | Ridley Scott, Black Hawk Down |
| Baz Luhrmann, Moulin Rouge* | David Lynch, Mulholland Drive |
2000
| Cameron Crowe, Almost Famous | Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot* |
| Ang Lee, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon | Ang Lee, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* |
| Ridley Scott, Gladiator | Ridley Scott, Gladiator+ |
| Steven Soderbergh, Erin Brockovich | Steven Soderbergh, Erin Brockovich * |
| Steven Soderbergh, Traffic | Steven Soderbergh, Traffic* |
1999
| Frank Darabont, The Green Mile* | Lasse Hallstrom, Cider House Rules* |
| Spike Jonze, Being John Malkovich | Spike Jonze, Being John Malkovich |
| Michael Mann, The Insider | Michael Mann, The Insider* |
| Sam Mendes, American Beauty | Sam Mendes, American Beauty+ |
| M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense | M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense* |
1998
| Peter Weir, Truman Show | Peter Weir, Truman Show |
| Terrence Malick, Thin Red Line | Terrence Malick, Thin Red Line |
| John Madden, Shakes in Love | John Madden, Shakes in Love* |
| Steven Spielberg, SPR | Steven Spielberg, SPR |
| Roberto Benigni, Life is Beautiful | Roberto Benigni, Life is Beautiful |
1997
| James L. Brooks As Good As It Gets* | Peter Cattaneo, The Full Monty* |
| Steven Spielberg Amistad | Atom Egoyan, The Sweet Hereafter |
| Gus Van Sant, Good Will Hunting | Gus Van Sant, Good Will Hunting* |
| James Cameron, Titanic | James Cameron, Titanic+ |
| Curtis Hanson, L.A. Confidential | Curtis Hanson, L.A. Confidential* |
1996
| Cameron Crowe, Jerry Maguire* | Milos Forman for The People vs. Larry Flynt |
| Joel Coen, Fargo | Joel Coen, Fargo* |
| Mike Leigh, Secrets & Lies | Mike Leigh, Secrets & Lies * |
| Anthony Minghella, The English Patient | Anthony Minghella, The English Patient+ |
| Scott Hicks, Shine | Scott Hicks, Shine* |
1995
| Mike Figgis for Leaving Las Vegas | Mike Figgis for Leaving Las Vegas |
| Mel Gibson for Braveheart | Mel Gibson for Braveheart+ |
| Ron Howard for Apollo 13* | Chris Noonan for Babe* |
| Ang Lee for Sense and Sensibility* | Tim Robbins for Dead Man Walking |
| Michael Radford for Il Postino | Michael Radford for Il Postino* |
1994
| Mike Newell for Four Weddings and a Funeral* | Woody Allen for Bullets Over Broadway |
| Frank Darabont for The Shawshank Redemption* | Krzysztof Kieslowski for Red |
| Robert Redford for Quiz Show | Robert Redford for Quiz Show* |
| Quentin Tarantino for Pulp Fiction | Quentin Tarantino for Pulp Fiction* |
| Robert Zemeckis for Forrest Gump | Robert Zemeckis for Forrest Gump+ |
1993
| Andrew Davis for The Fugitive* | Robert Altman for Short Cuts |
| Jane Campion for The Piano | Jane Campion for The Piano* |
| James Ivory for The Remains Of the Day | James Ivory for The Remains Of the Day* |
| Martin Scorsese for The Age Of Innocence | Jim Sheridan for In the Name Of the Father* |
| Steven Spielberg for Schindler’s List | Steven Spielberg for Schindler’s List+ |
1992
| Robert Altman for The Player | Robert Altman for The Player |
| Rob Reiner for A Few Good Men* | Martin Brest for Scent Of a Woman* |
| Clint Eastwood for Unforgiven | Clint Eastwood for Unforgiven+ |
| James Ivory for Howards End | James Ivory for Howards End* |
| Neil Jordan for The Crying Game | Neil Jordan for The Crying Game* |
1991
| Barbra Streisand for The Prince Of Tides* | John Singleton for Boyz N the Hood |
| Oliver Stone for JFK | Oliver Stone for JFK* |
| Ridley Scott for Thelma & Louise | Ridley Scott for Thelma & Louise |
| Barry Levinson for Bugsy | Barry Levinson for Bugsy* |
| Jonathan Demme for The Silence Of the Lambs | Jonathan Demme for The Silence Of the Lambs+ |
1990
| Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather Part III | Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather Part III* |
| Kevin Costner for Dances With Wolves | Kevin Costner for Dances With Wolves+ |
| Barry Levinson for Avalon | Stephen Frears for The Grifters |
| Martin Scorsese for GoodFellas | Martin Scorsese for GoodFellas* |
| Giuseppe Tornatore for Cinema Paradiso | Barbet Schroeder for Reversal Of Fortune |
For the win only
+also won Best Picture
(best picture that didn’t match director)
| 2010 | Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech | Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech+ |
| 2009 | Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker | Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker+ |
| 2008 | Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire | Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire+ |
| 2007 | Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country | Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country+ |
| 2006 | Martin Scorsese, The Departed | Martin Scorsese, The Departed+ |
| 2005 | Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain | Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain* (Crash+) |
| 2004 | Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby | Clint Eastwood, MDB+ |
| 2003 | Peter Jackson, Return of the King | Peter Jackson, Return of the King+ |
| 2002 | Rob Marshall, Chicago | Roman Polanski, The Pianist (Chicago) |
| 2001 | Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind | Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind+ |
| 2000 | Ang Lee, Crouching Tiger | Steven Soderbergh, Traffic (Gladiator) |
| 1999 | Sam Mendes, American Beauty | Sam Mendes, American Beauty+ |
| 1998 | Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan | Steven Spielberg (Shakespeare in Love) |
| 1997 | Jim Cameron, Titanic | Jim Cameron, Titanic+ |
| 1996 | Anthony Minghella, English Patient | Anthony Minghella, English Patient+ |
| 1995 | Ron Howard, Apollo 13 | Mel Gibson, Braveheart+ |
| 1994 | Robert Zemeckis, Forrest Gump | Robert Zemeckis, Forrest Gump+ |
| 1993 | Seven Spielberg, Schindler’s List | Steven Spielberg, Schindler’s List+ |
| 1992 | Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven | Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven+ |
| 1991 | Jonathan Demme, Silence of the Lambs | Jonathan Demme, Silence of the Lambs + |
| 1990 | Kevin Costner, Dances with Wolves | Kevin Costner, Dances with Wolves+ |
| 1989 | Oliver Stone, Born on the Fourth of July | Oliver Stone, Born on the Fourth of July (Driving Miss Daisy – director Beresford not nommed for Oscar or DGA) |
| 1988 | Barry Levinson, Rain Man | Barry Levinson, Rain Man+ |
| 1987 | Bernardo Bertolucci, Last Emperor | Bernardo Bertolucci, Last Emperor+ |
| 1986 | Oliver Stone, Platoon | Oliver Stone, Platoon+ |
| 1985 | Steven Spielberg, Color Purple | Sidney Pollack, Out of Africa+ |
| 1984: | Milos Forman, Amadeus | Milos Forman, Amadeus+ |
| 1983: | James Brooks, Terms of Endearment | James Brooks, Terms of Endearment+ |
| 1982: | Richard Attenborough, Gandhi | Richard Attenborough, Gandhi+ |
| 1981: | Warren Beatty, Reds | Warren Beatty, Reds (Chariots of Fire) |
| 1980: | Robert Redford, Ordinary People | Robert Redford, Ordinary People+ |
| 1979: | Robert Benton, Kramer Vs. Kramer | Robert Benton, Kramer Vs. Kramer+ |
| 1978: | Michael Cimino, Deer Hunter | Michael Cimino, Deer Hunter+ |
| 1977: | Woody Allen, Annie Hall | Woody Allen, Annie Hall+ |
| 1976: | John Avildson, Rocky | John Avildson, Rocky+ |
| 1975: | Milos Foreman, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest | Milos Foreman, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest+ |
| 1974: | Frances Coppola, Godfather II | Frances Coppola, Godfather II+ |
| 1973: | George Roy Hill, The Sting | George Roy Hill+ |
| 1972: | Frances Coppola, The Godfather | Bob Fosse, Cabaret (Godfather) |
| 1971: | William Friedkin, The French Connection | William Friedkin, The French Connection+ |
| 1970: | Franklin J. Schaffner, Patton | Franklin J. Schaffner , Patton+ |
| 1969: | John Schlesinger, Midnight Cowboy | John Schlesinger, Midnight Cowboy+ |
| 1968: | Anthony Harvey, Lion in Winter | Carol Reed, Oliver+ |
| 1967: | Mike Nichols, The Graduate | Mike Nichols, The Graduate (In Heat of the Night) |
| 1966: | Fred Zinneman, A Man for all Seasons | Fred Zinneman, A Man for all Seasons+ |
| 1965: | Robert Wise, The Sound of Music | Robert Wise, the Sound of Music+ |
| 1964: | George Cukor, My Fair Lady | George Cukor, My Fair Lady+ |
| 1963: | Tony Richardson, Tom Jones | Tony Richardson, Tom Jones+ |
| 1962: | David Lean, Lawrence of Arabia | David Lean, Lawrence of Arabia+ |
| 1961: | Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise, West Side Story | Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise, West Side Story+ |
| 1960: | Billy Wilder, The Apartment | Billy Wilder, The Apartment+ |
| 1959: | William Wyler, Ben Hur | William Wyler, Ben Hur+ |
| 1958: | Vincent Minnelli, Gigi | Vincent Minnelli, Gigi+ |
| 1957: | David Lean, Bridge on the River Kwai | David Lean, Bridge on the River Kwai+ |
| 1956: | George Stevens, Giant | George Stevens, Giant (Around/World in 80 Days) |
| 1955: | Delbert Mann, Marty | Delbert Mann, Marty+ |
| 1954: | Elia Kazan, On the Waterfront | Elia Kazan, On the Waterfront+ |
| 1953: | Fred Zinnemann, From here to Eternity | Fred Zinnemann, From here to Eternity+ |
| 1952: | John Ford, The Quiet Man | John Ford, The Quiet Man (Greatest Show on Earth) |
| 1951: | George Stevens, A Place in the Sun | George Stevens, A Place in the Sun (An American in Paris) |
| 1950: | Joseph L. Mankiewicz, All About Eve | Joseph L. Mankiewicz, All About Eve+ |
| 1949: | Robert Rossen, All the King’s Men | Joseph L. Mankiewicz for A Letter To Three Wives (All the King’s Men) |
| 1948: | Joseph L. Mankiewicz for A Letter To Three Wives | John Huston, Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Hamlet) |
| 1947 | Elia Kaza for Gentleman’s Agreement | |
| 1946 | William Wyler for The Best Years of Our Lives | |
| 1945 | Billy Wilder for The Lost Weekend | |
| 1944 | Leo McCary for Going My Way | |
| 1943 | Michael Curtiz for Casablanca | |
| 1942 | William Wyler for Mrs. Miniver | |
| 1941 | John Ford for How Green Was My Valley | |
| 1940 | John Ford for The Grapes of Wrath (Rebecca) | |
| 1939 | Victor Flemming, Gone with the Wind | |
| 1938 | Frank Capra, You Can’t Take it With You | |
| 1937 | Leo McCary, The Awful Truth (The Life of Emile Zola) | |
| 1936 | Frank Capra, Mr. Deed Goes to Town (The Great Ziegfeld) | |
| 1935 | John Ford, The Informer (Mutiny on the Bounty) | |
| 1934 | Frank Capra, It Happened One Night | |
| 1933 | Frank Lloyd, Calvalcade |
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