Beverly Hills played host to the 78th annual Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards on Saturday, February 7, , with Paul Thomas Anderson taking home the top prize for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for his work on One Battle After Another. The ceremony, hosted by comedian Kumail Nanjiani at The Beverly Hilton, is widely regarded as a significant bellwether for the upcoming Academy Awards.
Anderson’s win places him in a historically predictive position for Oscar success. The DGA Award has accurately foreshadowed the Best Director Oscar winner in all but eight instances since its inception in , and has matched the Oscars winner for the past five years. Accepting the award, Anderson emotionally acknowledged his team and paid tribute to Adam Somner, his longtime first assistant director, who passed away in November .
“This is an incredible, incredible honor,” Anderson said, adding, “obviously we are up here minus one,” in reference to Somner. He also referenced a feeling of being called to filmmaking, comparing it to a “cosmic thing” and a necessary “addiction.”
The evening also celebrated achievements in television, with Amanda Marsalis winning for directing the episode “6:00 p.m.” of the HBO Max series The Pitt. She beat out fellow nominee John Wells, also an executive producer on the show. In the comedy series category, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were recognized for their work on the Apple TV+ series The Studio, specifically the episode “The Oner,” a win that followed their Emmy win for the same episode last September. They dedicated their award to Catherine O’Hara, a star of The Studio, whom they described as both a genius and a kind person.
The DGA Awards also honored achievements in other television categories. Shannon Murphy won for Dying for Sex, while Stephen Chbosky was recognized for Nonnas. On the variety front, Liz Patrick took the prize for SNL50: The Anniversary Special. Matthew Gangl was honored for his direction of the 2025 World Series Game 7 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays.
The ceremony, now under the leadership of newly elected DGA president Christopher Nolan, also acknowledged first-time feature filmmakers. Charlie Polinger won the Michael Apted First-Time Theatrical Feature Film award for The Plague. Nolan, in opening remarks, acknowledged the challenges currently facing filmmakers.
The awards presentation itself was a showcase of industry camaraderie. Presenters included Leonardo DiCaprio, who spoke of Anderson’s impact on the cinematic identity of Los Angeles; Michael B. Jordan, who praised Ryan Coogler’s ability to build strong working relationships; and Steven Spielberg, who lauded Chloé Zhao’s storytelling abilities. The format included each nominee receiving an honorary medallion and a moment on stage before the winner was announced.
Beyond the feature film and television awards, the DGA also recognized excellence in commercials and documentary filmmaking. Kim Gehrig won in the commercials category, while Mstyslav Chernov was honored for his documentary, 2000 Meters to Andriivka. Rebecca Miller took the prize for directing Mr. Scorsese, a documentary series.
The complete list of winners highlights a strong showing for female directors, who topped five categories throughout the evening. The DGA Awards continue to serve as a crucial indicator of potential Oscar success, and this year’s winners are poised to be major contenders as awards season progresses.
Theatrical Feature Film
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Will Weiske
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Trevor Tavares, Ian Stone
Second Second Assistant Director: Dominic Pacitti, Rafael Sanz-Jimenez
Additional Second Assistant Director: Nuekellar Hardy, Chunning Chang, Kit Conners, Kasia Trojak, Tyler Young
Michael Apted First-Time Theatrical Feature Film
Charlie Polinger, The Plague (Independent Film Company)
Dramatic Series
Amanda Marsalis, The Pitt, “6:00 p.m.” (HBO Max)
Comedy Series
Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, The Studio, “The Oner” (Apple TV+)
Limited and Anthology Series
Shannon Murphy, Dying for Sex, “It’s Not That Serious” (FX on Hulu)
Movies for Television
Stephen Chbosky, Nonnas (Netflix)
Variety
Liz Patrick, SNL50: The Anniversary Special (NBC)
Sports
Matthew Gangl, 2025 World Series – Game 7 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays (FOX Sports)
Reality / Quiz and Game
Mike Sweeney, Conan O’Brien Must Go, “Austria” (HBO Max)
Commercials
Kim Gehrig (Somesuch)
Documentary Film
Mstyslav Chernov, 2000 Meters to Andriivka (PBS)
Documentary Series / News
Rebecca Miller, Mr. Scorsese, “All This Filming Isn’t Healthy” (Apple TV+)
