Directors Guild of America President Third Vice President Taylor Hackford today announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2008.
"A film is a collaboration, but it is the director's energy and vision that brings the elements of script, performance and production into a satisfying totality. Today's nominees demonstrate how vision, combined with skill and talent, creates magic on the screen," said Hackford. "What makes this award truly meaningful to directors is the knowledge that only this award is decided solely by their peers – the men and women who live the passion, sweat and fear that goes into creating feature films."

The winner will be named at the 61st Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 31 2009, at the Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.


The nominees are (in alphabetical order):

DANNY BOYLE
Slumdog Millionaire(Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Boyle's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Sanjay Kumar
First Assistant Director: Raj Acharya
Second Assistant Director: Avani Batra
Second Second Assistant Director: Sonia Nemawarkar
This is Mr. Boyle's first DGA Feature Film Award Nomination.

DAVID FINCHER The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Fincher's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Daniel Stillman
First Assistant Director: Bob Wagner
Second Assistant Director: Allen Kupetsky
Second Second Assistant Directors: Pete Waterman, Stephen F. Lonano
This is Mr. Fincher's first DGA Feature Film Award Nomination. He previously won the DGA Commercial Award for Speed Chain (Nike), Gamebreakers (Nikegridiron.com), and Beauty for Sale (Xelibri Phones) in 2003.


RON HOWARD Frost/Nixon
(Universal Pictures)

Mr. Howard's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Kathleen McGill
First Assistant Director: William M. Connor
Second Assistant Director: Kristen Ploucha
Second Second Assistant Director: Scott R. Meyers
This is Mr. Howard's fourth DGA Feature Film Award Nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for Cocoon in 1985, and won the Award in 2001 for his direction of A Beautiful Mind, and in 1995 for Apollo 13.


CHRISTOPHER NOLAN The Dark Knight
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Nolan's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Kevin De La Noy, Susan Towner, Jan Foster
First Assistant Director: Nilo Otero
Second Assistant Director: Brandon Lambdin
Additional Second Assistant Director: Jessica Franks
Second Second Assistant Director: Greg Pawlik
Location Manager: James R. McAllister
This is Mr. Nolan's second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Memento in 2001.

GUS VAN SANT Milk
(Focus Features)

Mr. Van Sant's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Barbara A. Hall
First Assistant Director: David Webb
Second Assistant Director: John R. Saunders
Second Second Assistant Director: Ian Calip
Additional Second Assistant Director: Cindy A. Taylor
This is Mr. Van Sant's second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Good Will Hunting in 1997.