DGA Awards: Daniels Win Top Prize For 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'

The 75th annual Directors Guild Awards were handed out last night at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, and there was something of an upset as Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, directors of Everything Everywhere All at Once, beat out Steven Spielberg and his passion project, The Fabelmans, for the top prize.

The Directors' Guild of America has a voting body of around 19,000 members, and throughout its 75-year history, the handing out of the DGA Awards has been the most reliable and consistent indicator of how the Best Director Prize will be decided on Oscar night at the Academy Awards. In total, just 8 DGA Award winners have failed to take home the Oscar statuette, the most recent being Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) who lost out to Sam Mendes for his work on 1917 at the 2020 DGA Awards.

At last year's awards, the guild bestowed the honor upon Jane Campion for her film The Power of the Dog, which was a key milestone in her journey to claiming the big prize at that year's Oscars ceremony. Despite that win, as well as the previous year's win for Chloé Zhao on Nomadland, there was no room for any women in the slate of nominees this year, despite impressive work from the likes of Sarah Polley and Maria Schrader.

a man and his daughter on a boat in the sea

However, there was a female victory in the shape of Charlotte Wells, who was awarded the prize for Outstanding Directorial Effort of a First-Time Theatrical Feature Film Director for her film Aftersun. Aftersun is represented at the Oscars this year in the form of Paul Mescal, it's leading man, who is nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

There was also a double victory for HBO in the television categories, with Sam Levinson winning the Drama Series prize for his directing on Euphoria in the episode "Stand Still Like the Hummingbird", while Bill Hader won the Comedy Series equivalent for his directing on Barry, in which he is also the star, for the episode "710N".

The full list of DGA Award winners can be found below.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24)

Daniels’ Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Allison Rose Carter

First Assistant Director: Rodney Smith

Second Assistant Director: John Nasraway

Second Second Assistant Director: Ken C. Wu

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR

Charlotte Wells, Aftersun (A24)

DRAMATIC SERIES

Sam Levinson, Euphoria, “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird” (HBO)

Mr. Levinson’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Will Greenfield

First Assistant Directors: Valerie Johnson, Sally Brunski

Second Assistant Directors: Cindy King, Colin Duffy

Second Second Assistant Directors: James Chestnut

Additional Second Assistant Director: Aaron Rose Leone

COMEDY SERIES

Bill Hader, Barry, “710N” (HBO)

Mr. Hader’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Aida Rodgers

First Assistant Director: Gavin Kleintop

Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern Linares

Second Second Assistant Directors: Yarden Levo, Chalis Romero

MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND LIMITED SERIES

Helen Shaver, Station Eleven, “Who’s There?” (HBO Max)

Ms. Shaver’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: David Nicksay

First Assistant Director: Jennifer Wilkinson

Second Assistant Director: Anna Vogt

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING

Liz Patrick, Saturday Night Live, “Host and Musical Guest Jack Harlow” (NBC)

Ms. Patrick’s Directorial Team:

Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Laura Ouziel‑Mack

Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly, Eddie Valk

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS

Glenn Weiss, The 75th Annual Tony Awards (CBS) (WINNER)

Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:

Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Robin Abrams, Susan Kopensky, Ricky Kirshner

Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Bennymar Almonte, Phyllis Digilio, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Tyler Goldman, Arthur Lewis, Kevin Lishawa, Julie LoRusso, Seth Mellman, Jason Pacella, Jeffrey Pearl, Annette Powlis, Lauren Class Schneider, Eddie Valk

REALITY PROGRAMS

BEN SIMMS, Running Wild with Bear Grylls, “Florence Pugh in the Volcanic Rainforests of Costa Rica” (National Geographic Channel)

Mr. Simms’s Directorial Team:

Associate Director: Sara Brown

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Anne Renton, Best Foot Forward, “Halloween” (Apple TV+)

Ms. Renton’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Lance W. Lanfear

First Assistant Director: Nandi Bowe

Second Assistant Director: Susie Balaban

Second Second Assistant Director: Tim Neven

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