Kaylah Walton
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has revealed its nominees for the 2025 DGA Awards, showcasing new talent and highlighting some surprising misses in this competitive Oscar season.
The awards ceremony is set for February 8 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, where Ang Lee will be honored with a lifetime achievement award.
DGA Awards Honor New Talent
This year, all five nominees for the Directorial Achievement in Feature Film are first-time contenders:
- Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez
- Sean Baker for Anora
- Edward Berger for Conclave
- Brady Corbet for The Brutalist
- James Mangold for A Complete Unknown
James Mangold‘s nomination for his Bob Dylan biopic marks a long-awaited acknowledgment following his work on notable films like Logan and Ford v Ferrari.
Additionally, Edward Berger earns his first nod for Conclave, building off the momentum from All Quiet on the Western Front.
French director Jacques Audiard, indie filmmaker Sean Baker, and Golden Globe winner Brady Corbet complete the list of nominees.
However, notable directors like Jon M. Chu (Wicked) and Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two) did not receive nominations, despite their highly anticipated films.
Additionally, female directors were overlooked in this category, even with praise for works by Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) and Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light).
In the First-Time Feature Film category, Payal Kapadia and Megan Park lead with nominations for All We Imagine as Light and My Old Ass, respectively.
Other recognized filmmakers include RaMell Ross for Nickel Boys, Sean Wang for Dìdi, and Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel for Armand, marking a decrease in female representation compared to previous years.
DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter commended the nominees for their “bold and distinctive films,” describing their work as “visionary, inspiring, and reflective of the human experience.”
The DGA Awards have historically predicted Oscar success, with few past winners failing to win the Academy Award for Best Director.
As the Oscars voting proceeds, the 2025 DGA nominees are set to influence the ongoing awards season discussions.
