Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film

January 25, 2020 72nd Annual DGA Awards

On Saturday morning, January 25, the DGA presented its membership with a unique opportunity to celebrate the craft of directing during the 29th Annual Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium. The 2019 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film Award nominees ― Bong Joon Ho (Parasite), Sam Mendes (1917), Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood) and Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit) ― joined moderator Jeremy Kagan onstage in the Guild’s Los Angeles Theater for an in-depth discussion about their work. They were joined via video by nominee Martin Scorsese (The Irishman), who was unable to attend in person.

“As always, this is one of our most popular events of the year ― a celebration of the craft of directing,” said DGA President Thomas Schlamme as he welcomed the standing room only crowd. “Each of these fine directors join an illustrious line of filmmakers throughout Guild history who have represented the best in directorial achievement. Congratulations to each of you. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s now my pleasure to kick off this year’s Theatrical Feature Film Symposium with these brilliant clips from each of the directors’ films, which will be followed by a lively roundtable between [DGA Special Projects Committee Chair] Jeremy Kagan and the nominees.”

Following the screening of the film clips, Kagan led the nominees in a rollicking and informative exploration of the technical and creative processes of each director from pre-production to final cut. Although in just a matter of hours, only one of them would claim this year’s DGA Award for Theatrical Feature Film, the spirit of camaraderie and mutual respect was evident and it was clear that each one of them was truly honored to have been nominated by their peers.