DGA Awards Film Nominations: ‘Nomadland’, ‘Minari’, ‘Mank’, ‘Chicago 7’ & ‘Promising Young Woman’ Helmers Vie For Top Prize

Annnd … action! The Directors Guild of America is out with the nominations for its 73rd annual DGA Awards for theatrical feature film and first-time feature. The guild, which unveiled its TV, commercials and documentary nominees on Monday, will announce this year’s winners during an April 10 virtual event.

A diverse group of helmers including three women and three people of color is vying for the marquee Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film prize: Lee Isaac Chung (for Minari), Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), David Fincher (Mank), Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7) and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland).

The rookie feature helmers up for the First Time Feature prize also is a diverse group: Radha Blank (The Forty-Year-Old Version), Fernando Frías de la Parra (I’m No Longer Here), Regina King (One Night in Miami), Darius Marder (Sound of Metal) and Florian Zeller (The Father).

“Throughout these challenging and isolating times, the universal power of film has served such a meaningful role in our culture—helping fulfill our needs for human connection, expanding our worldviews, and keeping us inspired through stunning storytelling and artistry,” DGA president Thomas Schlamme said. “I congratulate our five nominees whose diverse and extraordinary films embodied that universal power in a year that will never be forgotten.”

Eligible films must have had a planned, scheduled or actual theatrical release during the Covid-extended period of January 1, 2020-February 28, 2021. Theatrical films not produced under the DGA Basic Agreement are eligible as long as the director completes an entry form.

Here are the nominees for the 73rd annual DGA Awards:

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM FOR 2020

Lee Isaac Chung
Minari
(A24)
Unit Production Manager: Dylan Brodie
First Assistant Director: Jeff Dubray
Second Assistant Director: Ann Laudick
Second Second Assistant Director: Stephen J. Hanan

Emerald Fennell
Promising Young Woman
(Focus Features)
Unit Production Manager: Reena Magsarili Raasch
First Assistant Director: Michael T. Meador
Second Assistant Director: Alexander Armero
Second Second Assistant Director: Anthony Manzo

David Fincher
Mank
(Netflix)
Unit Production Manager: Allen Kupetsky
First Assistant Director: Richard Goodwin
Second Assistant Director: Samantha McGrady
Second Second Assistant Director: Matt McKinnon
Additional Second Assistant Directors: Jeff Goodell, John Stern, George Williams III

Aaron Sorkin
The Trial of the Chicago 7
(Netflix; DreamWorks Pictures)
Unit Production Managers: Charles Miller, Stuart M. Besser, Jonathan Shoemaker
First Assistant Director: Joseph P. Reidy
Second Assistant Director: Rachel Jaros
Second Second Assistant Director: Justin Bischoff
Location Managers: Dennis Voskov, Nick Rafferty (Chicago Unit)

Chloé Zhao
Nomadland
(Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: Mary Kerrigan
First Assistant Director: Mary Kerrigan

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR FOR 2020

Radha Blank
The Forty-Year-Old Version
(Netflix)
Unit Production Manager: James Price
First Assistant Director: Michael L. Walker
Second Assistant Director: Kenyon Noble
Second Second Assistant Director: Jonathan Santos
Location Managers: Katarina Dedicova, Tim Stacker

Fernando Frías de la Parra
I’m No Longer Here
(Netflix)
Production Managers: Martín Pérez Valle, Assia Fratz (New York Unit)
First Assistant Director: Carlos Suazo
Second Assistant Directors: Alí Santiago, Alex Burstein (New York Unit)
Second Second Assistant Directors: Karen Alcázar, Anthony James Faure (New York Unit)

Regina King
One Night in Miami
(Amazon Studios)
Unit Production Manager: Paul O. Davis
First Assistant Director: Mark Anthony Little
Second Assistant Director: Kevin O’Neil

Darius Marder
Sound of Metal
(Amazon Studios)
Unit Production Manager: Amy Greene
First Assistant Director: Matthew Vose Campbell

Florian Zeller
The Father
(Sony Pictures Classics)
First Assistant Director: George Every
Second Assistant Director: Jamie D. Allen