The Directors Guild of America unveiled the television, documentary, and commercial nominees for the 2025 DGA Awards yesterday. Today, the film nominees made their way to the podium with few surprises. The Theatrical Film nominees are Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”), Edward Berger (“Conclave”), Sean Baker (“Anora”), Jacques Audiard (“Emilia Perez”), and James Mangold (“A Complete Unknown”).
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This is Corbet, Baker, Mangol, and Berger’s first nomination. Villeneuve has been nominated previously for “Arrival” and “Dune: Part One.”
Notable filmmakers overlooked for this honor include Denis Villeneuve (“Dune: Part Two“), Jon M. Chu (“Wicked”), Coralie Fargeat (“The Substance”), RaMell Ross (“Nickel Boys”), Payal Kapadia (“All We See Is Light”), Mohammad Rasoulof (“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”), and Luca Guadaginio (“Challengers,” “Queer“).
The nominees for the Michael Apted Award for First-Time Theatrical Film Directors went to Ross (“Nickel Boys”), Kapadia (“All We See Is Light”), Megan Park (“My Old Ass”), Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel (“Armand”), and Sean Wang (“Didi”).
Notable snubs in the top category included The 2025 DGA Awards will be handed out on Saturday, February 8 at the Beverly Hilton.
This year’s film nominees are as follows:
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film
JACQUES AUDIARD
Emilia Pérez
(Netflix)

SEAN BAKER
Anora
(Neon)
Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Olivia Kavanaugh
First Assistant Director: Liza Mann
Second Assistant Director: Sofía Blanco
Second Second Assistant Director: Steve Coleman
Location Manager: Ross Brodar

EDWARD BERGER
Conclave
(Focus Features)

BRADY CORBET
The Brutalist
(A24)

JAMES MANGOLD
A Complete Unknown
(Searchlight Pictures)
Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Michael Bederman
First Assistant Director: Douglas Torres
Second Assistant Director: Brad Robinson
Second Second Assistant Directors: Billy Brennan, Veronica Grant
Location Manager: Anthony Pisani

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film
PAYAL KAPADIA
All We Imagine as Light
(Sideshow & Janus Films)

MEGAN PARK
My Old Ass
(Amazon MGM Studios)

RAMELL ROSS
Nickel Boys
(Amazon MGM Studios)
Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Kenneth Yu
First Assistant Director: James Roque
Second Assistant Director: Jonathan M. Warren
Second Second Assistant Director: Thalia Skaleris
Additional Second Assistant Director: Zachery Sherer
Location Manager: Batou Chandler

HALFDAN ULLMANN TØNDEL
Armand
(IFC Films)

SEAN WANG
Dìdi
(Focus Features)