The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has announced its nominees for the 2025 DGA Awards, spotlighting fresh talent and delivering some surprising omissions in a high-stakes Oscar season.
The prestigious ceremony will take place on February 8 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, where Ang Lee will also receive a lifetime achievement honor.
DGA Awards spotlight rising talent
For the Directorial Achievement in Feature Film category, all five nominees are first-timers:
- Jacques Audiard for Emilia Prez
- Sean Baker for Anora
- Edward Berger for Conclave
- Brady Corbet for The Brutalist
- James Mangold for A Complete Unknown
Mangold's nod for his Bob Dylan biopic marks a long-awaited recognition after acclaimed films like Logan and Ford v Ferrari.
Meanwhile, Edward Berger secures his first nomination with Conclave, a religious thriller that builds on his momentum from All Quiet on the Western Front.
French filmmaker Jacques Audiard, indie director Sean Baker, and Golden Globe winner Brady Corbet round out the lineup.
Notably absent are Jon M. Chu (Wicked) and Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two), two directors of this year's most anticipated blockbusters.
Female directors were also shut out of this category, despite critical acclaim for 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 the pack with nominations for All We Imagine as Light and My Old Ass, respectively.
Other nominees include RaMell Ross for Nickel Boys, Sean Wang for Ddi, and Halfdan Ullmann Tndel for Armand. This year marks a shift from recent trends, with fewer women dominating the debut category.
DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter praised the nominees for their "audacious and unique films," calling their work "visionary, inspirational, and a testament to the human experience."
The DGA Awards are historically a key predictor for Oscar success, with only a handful of past winners failing to claim the Academy Award for Best Director.
As voting for the Oscars continues, the 2025 DGA nominees will undoubtedly shape the awards season conversation.