DGA Awards 2025 Highlights

At the star-studded 77th annual Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards held at the iconic Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, filmmaker Sean Baker emerged victorious with the prestigious Theatrical Feature Film award for his critically acclaimed movie, *Anora*. This triumph positions Baker as a frontrunner for the upcoming Academy Awards, which will take place on March 2, 2025. He competed against notable directors including Jacques Audiard (*Emilia Perez*), Edward Berger (*Conclave*), Brady Corbet (*The Brutalist*), and James Mangold (*A Complete Unknown*).

In addition to his DGA accolades, Baker's *Anora* recently clinched Best Picture at the Critics Choice Awards, solidifying its status as a standout film of the year. Historical trends indicate that the DGA Awards are often predictive of the Oscars, having accurately chosen the Best Director winner in 68 of their last 76 years. Interestingly, last year's DGA winner Christopher Nolan later took home the Academy Award for *Oppenheimer*, validating this pattern.

On the television front, FX's highly regarded series *Shōgun* kicked off the evening's celebrations by winning the Dramatic Series award for director Frederick E.O. Toye, honored for the exceptional *“Crimson Sky”* episode. Both *Shōgun* and *The Bear* entered the night with three nominations each, while HBO's *The Penguin* faced similar competition in the Movies for Television/Limited Series category. This category ultimately went to Steven Zaillian for *Ripley*, a film that continues Netflix's trend of producing award-winning content. Meanwhile, Lucia Aniello took home the Comedy Series award for her work on *Hacks*, particularly the acclaimed *“Bulletproof”* episode.

Comedian Judd Apatow, hosting the DGA Awards for the sixth time, kept the audience entertained with sharp humor, poking fun at figures like former President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk. In a memorable quip, he contrasted his comedic achievements with those of Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Ang Lee, drawing laughter with his candid remarks about their differing career outputs.

Lee, the celebrated director behind masterpieces like *Brokeback Mountain*, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by none other than Michelle Yeoh. In a heartfelt acceptance speech, he expressed his hope that his career would serve as "a never-ending film school" for future generations.

In addition to the main awards, UPMs Mary Rae Thewlis and Thomas J. Whelan were given the guild’s Robert B. Aldrich Award and Frank Capra Achievement Award, respectively, acknowledging their critical contributions to the film industry.

Complete List of DGA 2025 Winners

- **Theatrical Feature Film**: Sean Baker for *Anora* (Neon) - **First-Time Theatrical Feature Film**: Ramell Ross for *Nickel Boys* (Amazon MGM Studios) - **Documentary**: Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev for *Porcelain War* (Picturehouse) - **Dramatic Series**: Frederick E.O. Toye for *Shōgun, “Crimson Sky”* (FX) - **Comedy Series**: Lucia Aniello for *Hacks, “Bulletproof”* (Max) - **Movies for Television and Limited Series**: Steven Zaillian for *Ripley* (Netflix) This year's DGA Awards not only celebrated exceptional talent but also set the stage for an exciting Oscar race ahead. Stay tuned as the world of cinema gears up for the Academy Awards!