DGA Announces Feature‑Film Nominees and Top‑Prize Films The Directors Guild of America released its feature‑film nominee list on Jan. 8, naming Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Guillermo del Toro and Chloé Zhao among the contenders [1]. The guild also singled out five movies—One Battle After Another, Sinners, Frankenstein, Hamnet and Marty Supreme—for its top directing prize, a slate that exactly mirrors the SAG‑AFTRA ensemble nominations announced the same day [1][3]. This overlap links the directors’ race directly to the actors’ awards, sharpening focus on a shared group of frontrunners as the season moves toward the Oscars [3].

Historical DGA‑Oscar Correlation and Notable First‑Time Nominees Historically, the DGA winner has been a strong predictor of the Academy Award for Best Director, with last year’s winner Sean Baker exemplifying the trend [1]. Former DGA winners Chloé Zhao (for Nomadland) and Guillermo del Toro (for The Shape of Water) return to the shortlist, while Coogler and Josh Safdie receive their first nominations, making Coogler a potential first Black director to win the guild’s top honor [1]. The stakes are heightened by the guild’s reputation as an Oscar bellwether, adding cultural significance to this year’s diverse field [1].

First‑Feature and Documentary Categories Highlight Emerging Talent In addition to the feature‑film race, the DGA named first‑feature nominees such as Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby) and Alex Russell (Lurker), spotlighting emerging directors poised for industry attention [1]. Documentary nominations feature Mstyslav Chernov’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka—a co‑production of The Associated Press and PBS Frontline—alongside works by Geeta Gandbhir and Laura Poitras, with winners to be announced Feb. 7, 2026 [1]. These categories broaden the guild’s recognition beyond established names, underscoring a commitment to new voices in both narrative and nonfiction filmmaking [1].

SAG Actor Awards Nominees Mirror DGA Selections, Set Records The SAG‑AFTRA Actor Awards nominations, released Jan. 8, place One Battle After Another at the forefront with a record seven nods, including best‑ensemble and individual acting categories for Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro [3][2]. The ensemble field—Sinners, Hamnet, Marty Supreme and Frankenstein—matches the DGA’s top‑prize list, reinforcing the connection between directing and acting recognitions [3]. Harrison Ford will receive the Life Achievement Award, and the ceremony is scheduled for March 1, 2026, streamed by Netflix, further cementing the awards season’s trajectory toward the Oscars [3][2].