Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu last night won the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). He immediately becomes the front runner for the Best Director Oscar. All but seven of the DGA winners since 1948 have gone on to take the Academy Award for Best Director.
Iñárritu topped a field of feature nominees which also consisted of Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel, Clint Eastwood for American Sniper, Richard Linklater for Boyhood, and Morten Tyldum for The Imitation Game. All except for Eastwood are nominated for the Best Director Oscar. Rounding out the Motion Picture Academy’s slate of nominees is Bennett Miller for Foxcatcher.
In accepting the DGA Award, Iñárritu, who also co-wrote Birdman, alluded to the difficulties and unpredictable nature of making a movie, much less a successful one. He told the DGA audience that he “never expected to be here tonight talking to you.” He credited many of his collaborators including the cast, led by Michael Keaton, producers John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole, and cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki. “I’m just so thankful, thankful, thankful, thankful,” Iñárritu concluded.
Iñárritu also made a bit of Guild history in that he is now the first director ever to earn DGA Awards in the Feature and Commercial categories. In 2012, he won the DGA Award for spotmaking on the strength of Procter & Gamble’s “Best Job” out of Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore. “Best Job” was produced by Anonymous Content which continues to be Iñárritu’s commercial production/branded content roost.
Nicolai Fuglsig
Speaking of the ad arena, Nicolai Fuglsig of MJZ is now two for two in his career–twice nominated for the DGA Commercial Director of the Year and twice winning the coveted honor, this time around for Guinness’ “Sapeurs” from AMV BBDO, London,” and FEMA’s “Waiting” out of Deutsch New York. Fuglsig’s first DGA win came in 2007.
Fuglsig’s win continues a run of excellence for MJZ directors who have taken the DGA Award for Commercials five of the past 10 years. During that stretch, Fuglsig becomes the first MJZ director to repeat as a DGA winner.
This year Fuglsig topped a field of spot nominees which also consisted of Lauren Greenfield of Chelsea Pictures; Brendan and Emmett Malloy, aka The Malloys, of HSI; Daniel and Katina Mercadante, aka The Mercadantes, who recently signed with Park Pictures and were nominated for work done at their prior roost, Epoch Films; and Noam Murro of Biscuit Filmworks.
If Greenfield or The Mercadantes with Katina Mercadante had won, it would have marked the first time in Guild history that a female director had garnered the DGA Award for commercialmaking.
Documentary, TV winners
Still, other women directors fared well during the DGA Awards ceremony. Director Laura Poitras topped the Documentary category on the basis of Citizenfour.
Lesli Linka Glatter won TV Drama Series directing honors for the “From A to B and Back Again” episode of Homeland (Showtime). Jill Soloway earned distinction as Best Comedy Series Director for the “Best New Girl” episode of Transparent (Amazon). And Lisa Cholodenko took the TV Movie/Miniseries award for Olive Kitteridge (HBO).
First-Time Award in offing
In a surprise announcement, Steven Spielberg took the stage to announce a brand new DGA Award–the First-Time Feature Film Director Award, which will recognize the outstanding directorial achievement of a first-time feature film director.
The new award, which was approved by the DGA’s National Board in October of last year, will be bestowed for the first time at the 68th Annual DGA Awards in 2016.
Here’s a full rundown of DGA Award winners
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM
ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Mr. Iñárritu’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: James W. Skotchdopole, Robert Graf
First Assistant Director: Peter Kohn
Second Assistant Directors: Amy Lauritsen, Tim Price
Second Second Assistant Director: Catherine Feeny
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Gabrielle Mahon
Location Manager: Joaquin Prange
This is Mr. Iñárritu’s second DGA Award. He was previously nominated in this category for Babel in 2006. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for “Best Job” (Procter and Gamble) in 2012.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMATIC SERIES
LESLI LINKA GLATTER
Homeland, “From A to B and Back Again”
(Showtime)
Ms. Glatter’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Angela Phillips, Michael Klick
First Assistant Director: Nick Heckstall-Smith
Second Assistant Director: Wendy Bledsoe
This is Ms. Glatter’s second DGA Award. She previously won in this category in 2009 for Mad Men, “Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency.” She was also nominated in 2013 and 2012 for Homeland episodes “The Star” and “Q & A,” as well as in 1990 for Twin Peaks, “Episode 32006.”
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY SERIES
JILL SOLOWAY
Transparent, “Best New Girl”
(Amazon Prime)
Ms. Soloway’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Victor Hsu
First Assistant Director: Bill Purple
Second Assistant Director: Allan Monteiro Fortes
Second Second Assistant Director: Anna Vogt
This is Ms. Soloway’s first DGA Award.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES
LISA CHOLODENKO
Olive Kitteridge
(HBO)
Ms. Cholodenko’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: David Coatsworth
First Assistant Director: Jesse Nye
Second Assistant Director: Mark Constance
Second Second Assistant Director: Elizabeth MacSwan
This is Ms. Cholodenko’s first DGA Award.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SERIES
DAVE DIOMEDI
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, “Episode #1”
(NBC)
Mr. Diomedi’s Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Maureen Smith, Mark Jankeloff
Stage Managers: Nicka Tolmasoff, Mike Kilkenny
This is Mr. Diomedi’s first DGA Award. He was also nominated in this category last year for Late Night Starring Jimmy Fallon, “#799.”
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS
GLENN WEISS
The 68th Annual Tony Awards
(CBS)
Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Robin Abrams, Stefani Cohen, Ricky Kirshner
Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Phyllis Digilio-Kent, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Lynn Finkel, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Arthur Lewis, Jeffrey M. Markowitz, Joey Meade, Seth Mellman, Cyndi Owgang, Jeff Pearl, Annette Powlis, Elise Reaves, Lauren Class Schneider
This is Mr. Weiss’s sixth DGA Award. He was also nominated this year for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series, together with Rob Ashford, for Peter Pan Live! He previously won the DGA Award in 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 for the 61st, 64th, 65th, 66th and 67th Annual Tony Awards. He was also nominated in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008 for the 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th, and 62nd Annual Tony Awards.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN REALITY PROGRAMS
ANTHONY B. SACCO
The Chair, “The Test”
(Starz)
This is Mr. Sacco’s second DGA Award. He previously won in this category in 2006 for Treasure Hunters, “Episode #101” and was nominated in 2007 for Project Runway, “Fashion Giant #403.”
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
JONATHAN JUDGE
100 Things To Do Before High School, “Pilot”
(Nickelodeon)
Mr. Judge’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Debra Spidell
First Assistant Director: Julian Petrillo
Second Assistant Director: Katey Wheelhouse
Second Second Assistant Director: Ceci Mak
This is Mr. Judge’s first DGA Award. He was previously nominated in this category in 2013 for Swindle and in 2012 for Camp Fred.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMMERCIALS
NICOLAI FUGLSIG
(MJZ)
Sapeurs, Guinness ‑ AMV BBDO
First Assistant Director: Bob Wilkins
Waiting, FEMA ‑ Deutsch NY
First Assistant Director: Bob Wagner
Second Assistant Director: Rafa Sanz
This is Mr. Fuglsig’s second DGA Award. He previously won in this category in 2007 for Tipping Point (Guinness), It’s Magic (JC Penney), and Journey (Motorola).
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DOCUMENTARY
LAURA POITRAS
Citizenfour
RADiUS
Praxis Films
Participant Media
HBO Documentary Films
Bertha Foundation | BRITDOC Circle | Channel 4
Norddeutscher Rundfunk NDR
Bayerischer Rundfunk BR
Deutscher Filmförderfonds
This is Ms. Poitras’s first DGA Award.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT & SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
James Burrows and Robert Butler – Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction:
James Burrows and Robert Butler were honored with the DGA’s first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction, in honor of each director’s groundbreaking career. The new award, created by the DGA’s National Board of Directors last year, joins the Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction in being the two highest creative honors bestowed by the DGA. The recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Television Direction are nominated by a blue ribbon committee of prominent television directors and approved by the present and past presidents of the Guild.
Phillip Goldfarb – Frank Capra Achievement Award:
Given to an Assistant Director or Unit Production Manager in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.
Julie Gelfand – Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award:
Given to an Associate Director or Stage Manager in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.
