DGA Sets Host and Presenters for 61st Annual DGA Awards Dinner

January 26, 2009

LOS ANGELES, CA - DGA President Michael Apted announced today that Carl Reiner will return as host for the 61st Annual Directors Guild of America Awards. This year will mark the 22nd time Reiner has hosted the DGA Awards, which will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Also announced were the slate of presenters for the DGA Awards.

Following is the list of confirmed presenters as of January 26, in alphabetical order:

• Amy Adams*
• Michael Apted
• Christian Bale
• Josh Brolin*
• Gil Cates
• Joel Coen
• Ethan Coen
• Claire Danes
• Viola Davis*
• Lisa Edelstein
• Jodie Foster
• Rachel Griffiths
• Richard Jenkins*
• Frank Langella*
• Melissa Leo*
• Michelle Monaghan
• Dev Patel
• Sean Penn*
• Freida Pinto
• Michael Shannon
• Michael Sheen
• Steven Soderbergh
• Marisa Tomei*
• Blair Underwood

*2009 Academy Award Nominee.

All of the nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film will also be in attendance:

DANNY BOYLE*
Slumdog Millionaire

DAVID FINCHER*
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

RON HOWARD*
Frost/Nixon

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
The Dark Knight

GUS VAN SANT*
Milk

*2009 Academy Award Nominee.

The DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film has traditionally been one of the industry's most accurate barometers for who will win the Best Director Academy Award.

Only six times since the DGA Awards began in 1948 has the Feature Film winner not gone on to win the corresponding Academy Award.

Four special awards will also be presented at this year's dinner:

• Film Critic/Author Roger Ebert will receive the DGA's 2009 Honorary Life Member Award for recognition of outstanding creative achievement, or contribution to the Guild, or the profession of Directing.
• DGA Second Vice-President/Director William Brady will receive the 2009 Robert B. Aldrich Award for extraordinary service to the DGA and to its membership.
• DGA Board Member/Unit Production Manager Kim Kurumada will receive the 2009 Frank Capra Achievement Award, which is given to an Assistant Director or Unit Production Manager in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.
• DGA Assistant Secretary/Treasurer/Associate Director Scott Berger will receive the 2009 Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award for an Associate Director or Stage Manager in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.