DGA Awards: Sean Baker Takes Top Honor for ‘Anora’
The year’s top filmmakers were toasted at the DGA Awards on Saturday night, with Sean Baker taking home the night’s top prize.
At the ceremony, held at the Beverly Hilton and once again hosted by Judd Apatow, the Directors Guild of America recognized the best across TV and film. Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez), Sean Baker (Anora), Edward Berger (Conclave), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown) were up for the night’s big prize in theatrical feature film, but it was Baker who landed the win.
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He expressed surprise in his speech, thanking star Mikey Madison and his mother while also acknowledging, “She supported me along the way, all the way; unfortunately I’m not really making the movies she wants to make. I don’t think that she’s seen Anora, I don’t want her to see Anora.” Baker also noted he “made this movie for the big screen” and thanked the film’s team for “putting everything into the theatrical release, supporting a long theatrical window.”
Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light), Megan Park (My Old Ass), RaMell Ross (Nickel Boys), Halfdan Ullmann Tondel (Armand) and Sean Wang (Dìdi) were nominated for first-time theatrical feature film, the other big award for the night, which was won by Ross.
Shogun, Hacks, Saturday Night Live and Ripley were among the winners on the TV side. Ang Lee also received the lifetime achievement award for his long and impressive career.
This year’s DGA honors are being handed out on a busy awards weekend, following Friday night’s Critics Choice Awards and at roughly the same time as Saturday’s PGA Awards, which took place across the street.
DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter opened the show with a call for production to return to Los Angeles in the wake of the devastating L.A. wildfires, and Apatow — hosting the show for the sixth time — took the stage as he joked, “I’m what Mel Brooks would look like if he took ‘The Substance.'”
He also poked fun at some of this year’s honored films, noting that in the case of Emilia Pérez, “Hollywood hasn’t had a new idea in decades and then suddenly we cram all of them into one fucking movie.” Apatow also teased that it was the “first movie that [Donald] Trump is trying to deport,” and called Conclave “a prequel to Spotlight.”
Diving into politics, Apatow told the crowd, “There are some of you in this room who voted for Trump — I won’t judge you but God will,” and said, “I’m getting very depressed, to deal with it I just started microdosing meth. My new pronouns are we’re fucked.” He also mused about how he “should start making movies and TV that MAGA people would like, like The Real Housewives of Jan. 6 or Extreme Home Makeover: Gaza edition,” or questioned if Hollywood should go even woker, like “Dune 3 with all gay sandworms” or “The Amazing Spider-Person.”
Check out the complete list of this year’s DGA Awards winners below.
Theatrical Feature Film
JACQUES AUDIARD
Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
SEAN BAKER (WINNER)
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
Michael Apted 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 (WINNER)
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 Scherer
? Location Manager: Batou Chandler
HALFDAN ULLMANN TONDEL
Armand (IFC Films)
SEAN WANG
Dìdi (Focus Features)
Dramatic Series
Alex Graves, The Diplomat, “Dreadnought” (Netflix)
Hiromi Kamata, Shogun, “Ladies of the Willow World” (FX)
Issa López,True Detective: Night Country, “Part 6” (HBO)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Manager: Mari Jo Winkler
? First Assistant Director: Richard Graysmark
Frederick E.O. Toye, Shogun, “Crimson Sky” (FX) (WINNER)
Jonathan Van Tulleken, Shogun, “Anjin” (FX)
Comedy Series
Lucia Aniello, Hacks, “Bulletproof” (Max) (WINNER)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Manager: Chris R. Robinson
? First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
? Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern Linares
? Second Second Assistant Director: Alaina Neumann
? Additional Second Assistant Director: Chalis Romero
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear, “Napkins” (FX)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson Bidner
? First Assistant Director: Duccio Fabbri
? Second Assistant Directors: Olivia Dame, Larissa Malarek
? Second Second Assistant Director: Sofía Blanco
? Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
Duccio Fabbri, The Bear, “Doors” (FX)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson Bidner
? First Assistant Director: Larissa Malarek
? Second Assistant Director: Olivia Dame
? Second Second Assistant Director: Sofia Blanco
? Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
Jeff Schaffer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “No Lessons Learned” (HBO)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Manager: Mary Church
? First Assistant Director: Adam Feil
? Second Assistant Director: Jessica Faires McGinn
? Second Second Assistant Director: Timothy Muir
Christopher Storer, The Bear, “Tomorrow” (FX)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson Bidner
? First Assistant Director: Duccio Fabbri
? Second Assistant Director: Olivia Dame
? Second Second Assistant Director: Sofía Blanco
? Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
Movies for Television and Limited Series
Kevin Bray, The Penguin, “Top Hat” (HBO)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill Carraro
? First Assistant Director: Jude Gorjanc
? Second Assistant Director: Brad Robinson
? Second Second Assistant Director: Matt Merksamer
? Additional Second Assistant Director: Maritza Gomez
? Location Manager: Keith Adams
Alfonso Cuarón, Disclaimer (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Manager: Donald Sabourin
? First Assistant Director: Chris Carreras
Jennifer Getzinger, The Penguin, “A Great or Little Thing” (HBO)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill Carraro
? First Assistant Director: H.H. Cooper
? Second Assistant Director: Eric Calatayud
? Second Second Assistant Director: Matt Merksamer
? Additional Second Assistant Director: Maritza Gomez
? Location Manager: Keith Adam
Helen Shaver, The Penguin, “Cent’anni” (HBO)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill Carraro
? First Assistant Director: H.H. Cooper
? Second Assistant Director: Eric Calatayud
? Second Second Assistant Director: Matt Merksamer
? Additional Second Assistant Director: Maritza Gomez
? Location Manager: Keith Adams
Steven Zaillian, Ripley (Netflix) (WINNER)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Managers: Clayton Townsend, Joe Guest (New York)
? First Assistant Director: Peter Thorell
? Second Assistant Directors: Justin Bischoff (New York), Nick Notte (New York)
? Second Second Assistant Director: Melissa Morphet (New York)
? Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi (New York)
Variety/Talk/News/Sports — Regularly Scheduled Programming
PAUL G. CASEY, Real Time with Bill Maher, “Jiminy Glick, Andrew Cuomo, Adam Kinzinger” (HBO)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Director: Stacy Talbot
? Stage Managers: Brian Anderson, Patrick Whitney
JIM HOSKINSON, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Rep. Alexandria Ocasio?Cortez & Mavis Staples w/ Jeff Tweedy” (CBS)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Directors: Yvonne De Mare, Karen Yaeger
? Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
DAVID PAUL MEYER, The Daily Show, “Indecision 2024: The Democratic National Convention ? Plot Twist!” (Comedy Central)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Director: Adrienne Ford
? Stage Managers: Bennymar Almonte (Lead), Tyler Goldman, Gena Rositano
LIZ PATRICK, Saturday Night Live, “John Mulaney / Chappell Roan” (NBC) (WINNER)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Laura Ouziel Mack, Janine DeVito, Amy Mancini
? Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly, Eddie Valk, Tom Ucciferri
PAUL PENNOLINO, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “India Elections” (HBO)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Director: Elliot Mendelson
? Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Craig Spinney, Jeff Leib
Variety/Talk/News/Sports — Specials
HAMISH HAMILTON, The 96th Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Directors: Hayley Collett, Susan Kopensky, Lori Margules, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Sara Niimi, Kristen Patterson Terry, Michael Polito
? Stage Managers: Gary Natoli (Lead), Alexis Brusig, Rita Cossette, John Esposito, Zachary Figures, Valdez Flagg, Doug Fogel, Chris Hines, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Roxanne Lozano, Donna Parker, Ron Paul, Alec Potter, Tammy Raab, Jason Seligman, Jackie Stathis, Cheryl Teetzel-Moore, Ari Woog
BETH McCARTHY?MILLER, The Roast of Tom Brady (Netflix) (WINNER)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Directors: Debbie Palacio, Marty Pasetta Jr.
? Stage Managers: Lynn Finkel, Steve Hollander, Greg Kasoff, Ran Lowe, Jennifer Marquet, Christopher McDonald, Tammy Raab, Jackie Stathis
DAVID PAUL MEYER, The Daily Show Presents A Live Election Night Special With Jon Stewart: Indecision 2024: Nothing We Can Do About It Now (Comedy Central)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Director: Adrienne Ford
? Stage Managers: Bennymar Almonte (Lead), Tyler Goldman, Gena Rositano
GLENN WEISS, The 77th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Ricky Kirshner, Susan Kopensky, Ryan Smith, Kristen Patterson Terry
? Stage Managers: Garry Hood (Lead), Peter Epstein, Bennymar Almonte, Joey Despenzero, Phyllis Digilio Kent, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Tyler Goldman, Kevin Lishawa, Arthur Lewis, Jeff Markowitz, Cyndi Owgang, Jason Pacella, Annette Powlis, Elise Reaves, Cody Renard Richard, Lauren Class Schneider, Eddie Valk, Leslie Williams
ALI WONG, Ali Wong: Single Lady (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Director: John Irwin
? Stage Manager: Zoey Powers
Reality Programs
NEIL DeGROOT, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, “The Cliffs of Ireland” (National Geographic) (WINNER)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Director: Jeff Simms
JOSEPH GUIDRY, Deal Or No Deal Island, “Are You Decisive?” (NBC)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Director: Greg Rosa
ARI KATCHER, Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, “Road Trip” (HBO)
PATRICK McMANUS, American Ninja Warrior, “Las Vegas Finals 4” (NBC)
Directorial Team:
? Associate Director: David Massey
? Stage Managers: Sara Brown, Sean P. Galvin, T.J. Ganser, Joseph R. Osborne, Louise Story
MIKE SWEENEY, Conan O’Brien Must Go, “Ireland” (Max)
Children’s Programs
KAT COIRO, The Spiderwick Chronicles, “Welcome to Spiderwick” (Roku Channel)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Manager: Grace Gilroy
MICHAEL GOI, Avatar: The Last Airbender, “Aang” (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
? First Assistant Director: Michael Neumann
? Second Assistant Director: Chad Belair
JIM MICKLE, Sweet Tooth, “This Is a Story” (Netflix)
JENNIFER PHANG, Descendants: The Rise of Red (Disney+)
Directorial Team:
? Unit Production Manager: Wendy S. Williams
? First Assistant Director: Senica Billingsley
? Second Assistant Director: Mark E. Brown
AMBER SEALEY, Out of My Mind (Disney+) (Winner)
Commercials
LANCE ACORD (Park Pictures)
An American Love Story, Volkswagen ? Johannes Leonardo
? Unit Production Manager: Karoline Kousidonis
? First Assistant Directors: Thomas Smith, Peter S. Jackson
? Second Assistant Directors: Carly Sturgeon, John Mattern
? Second Second Assistant Directors: Matthew Kramer, Reed Baum
KIM GEHRIG (Somesuch)
A Life in Sound, SiriusXM – Uncommon
? First Assistant Director: Kate Greenberg
? Second Assistant Director: Rebecca Rogers
Am I A Bad Person?, Nike ? Wieden+Kennedy
? First Assistant Director: Guy Forgaard
Find Your Friends, Apple? Client Direct
? First Assistant Director: Rodney Smith
? Second Assistant Director: John Nasraway
? Second Second Assistant Director: Isaac Meija
? Additional Second Assistant Directors: Michael Dudley, Kendall Wilmot
TIM HEIDECKER & ERIC WAREHEIM (Prettybird)
Michael CeraVe, CeraVe? WPP Onefluence (Ogilvy)
? First Assistant Directors: Matthew Smith, Kerstin Emhoff
? Second Assistant Director: Kiersten Fehlig
? Second Second Assistant Director: Matthew Hausmann
ANDREAS NILSSON (Biscuit Filmworks) (WINNER)
Board Game, Hennessy? Wieden+Kennedy ? London
First Office Poo, Andrex? FCB ? London
One More, Apple ? Client Direct
? First Assistant Director: Scott Harris
? Second Assistant Director: Ronald Misetich
Whizzer, Virgin Media ? VCCP ? London
IVAN ZACHARIá? (Smuggler)
Flock, Apple ? Media Arts Lab
? First Assistant Director: Robert Phillips
Documentary
BRENDAN BELLOMO & SLAVA LEONTYEV, Porcelain War (Picturehouse) (WINNER)
JULIAN BRAVE NOISECAT & EMILY KASSIE, Sugarcane (National Geographic)
JOHAN GRIMONPREZ, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Kino Lorber)
IBRAHIM NASH’AT, Hollywoodgate (Fourth Act Film)
NATALIE RAE & ANGELA PATTON, Daughters (Netflix)
This story was first published on Feb. 8 at 6:15 p.m.
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