Denis Villeneuve, Kelly Fremon Craig And Dan Trachtenberg Among Nominees For DGA Awards

What a year it’s been for writer-director Denis Villeneuve. Following the one-two punch of Prisoners and Sicario, in 2016 the filmmaker crafted a stunning, cerebral sci-fi in the form of Dune reboot.

For Villeneuve, it’s Arrival that has fired his name directly into the Oscar race, and while we wait patiently for The Academy to select its nominees (keep your peepers peeled on January 24), the latest round of nominations are in. This time, it’s the Directors Guild of America’s turn to announce their candidates for this year’s ceremony and sure enough, Denis Villeneuve is among the nominees. He’s in the running for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature Film, a title Damien Chazelle (La La Land), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Garth Davis (Lion) and Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) will also be lobbying for in a few weeks’ time.

Meanwhile, Kelly Fremon Craig (10 Cloverfield Lane) are just some of the names competing in the First-Time Feature Film bracket.

The full list of nominees can be found below, with the winners expected to be announced at the 69th Annual DGA Awards on February 4, 2017.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature Film:

Damien Chazelle – La La Land

Garth Davis – Lion

Barry Jenkins – Moonlight

Kenneth Lonergan – Manchester by the Sea

Denis Villeneuve – Arrival

First-Time Feature Film:

Garth Davis – Lion

Kelly Fremon Craig – The Edge of Seventeen

Tim Miller – Deadpool

Nate Parker – The Birth of a Nation

Dan Trachtenberg – 10 Cloverfield Lane