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Michel Hazanavicius wins DGA Feature Film Award for "The Artist." Other winners of 2011 DGA Awards announced.

January 28, 2012

LOS ANGELESThe winners of the Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards for 2011, and the recipients of the Guild's 2012 Career Achievement Awards were announced tonight during the 64th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles. Michel Hazanavicius won the DGA's Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for The Artist.

Following the welcome by DGA President Taylor Hackford to an audience of more than 1,600 guests, director/producer/actor Kelsey Grammer hosted the ceremony.

Presenters included (in alphabetical order): DGA Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted; Berenice Bejo (The Artist); George Clooney (The Descendants); Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad); Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men); Laura Dern (Enlightened); Jean Dujardin (The Artist); DGA President Taylor Hackford; 2010 DGA Feature Film Award winner Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech); Stana Katic (Castle); Ben Kingsley (Hugo); Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy); Kathleen Robertson (Boss); Octavia Spencer (The Help); DGA Third Vice President Betty Thomas; Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn); and Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood).

The DGA's Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film has traditionally served as a near-perfect barometer for the Academy Award for Best Director. Only six times since the DGA Award's inception in 1948 has the winner not gone on to receive the Academy Award for Best Director. (see list at the end of this release)



 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Feature Film

MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS
The Artist
(The Weinstein Company)

Mr. Hazanavicius’ Directorial Team:

  • Unit Production Manager:  Antoine De Cazotte
  • Production Manager (FR): Ségoléne Fleury
  • First Assistant Director (FR): James Canal
  • First Assistant Director (US):  David Cluck
  • Second Assistant Directo (US):  Dave Paige
  • Second Second Assistant Directors: Karla Strum, Ricky Robinson  

  
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Movies for Television and Mini-Series

JON CASSAR

The Kennedys
(Reelz Channel)

This was Mr. Cassar’s third DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series in 2006 for 24 - “7:00 AM-8:00 AM" and was nominated in this category in 2003 for the episode of 24 also titled “7:00 AM-8:00 AM."


 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Dramatic Series

PATTY JENKINS

The Killing, "Pilot"
(AMC)

Ms. Jenkins was also nominated this year in the Movies for Television and Mini-Series category for her segment of Five.


 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Comedy Series

ROBERT B. WEIDE

Curb Your Enthusiasm, “Palestinian Chicken”
(HBO)

Mr. Weide’s Directorial Team:

  • Associate Directors: Dale Stern, Tim Gibbons
  • Stage Managers: Jonathan Harris, Jerri Churchill, Dana Jackson

This was Mr. Weide’s second DGA Award nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for Curb Your Enthusiasm - “The Carpool Lane” in 2004.


 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Musical Variety

GLENN WEISS

65th Annual Tony Awards
(CBS)

Mr. Weiss’ Directorial Team:

  • Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Robin Abrams, Debra Gelman, Ricky Kirshner
  • Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Lynn Finkel, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Phyllis Digilio-Kent, Arthur Lewis, Jeff Markowitz, Joey Meade, Tony Mirante, Cyndi Owgang, Jeff Pearl, Elise Reaves, Lauren Class Schneider, Annette Powlis

This was Mr. Weiss' eighth DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety in 2007 and 2010 for the 61st and 64th Annual Tony Awards. He was previously nominated in this category in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008, all for the 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th, and 62nd Annual Tony Awards.


 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Reality Programs

NEIL P. DEGROOT

Biggest Loser, "Episode #1115"
(NBC)

Mr. DeGroot’s Directorial Team

  • Associate Director: Andy Nelson

This was Mr. DeGroot’s first DGA Award nomination.


 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Daytime Serials

WILLIAM LUDEL

General Hospital, “Intervention”
(ABC)

Mr. Ludel’s Directorial Team:

  • Associate Directors: Christine Magarian Ucar, Denise Van Cleave, Penny Pengra, Peter Fillmore, RC Cates, David MacLeod
  • Stage Managers: Craig McManus, Crystal Craft
  • Production Associates: Christine Cooper, Andrea Compton

This was Mr. Ludel's seventh DGA Award nomination and all for his direction of General Hospital. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials for General Hospital "Episode #9801" in 2001 and "Episode #8248" in 1995; and was previously nominated for General Hospital "Macho Men" in 2009, "Luke in Purgatory" in 2008, "Episode #11177" in 2006 and for "Episode #7922" in 1994.



 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Children's Programs

AMY SCHATZ

A Child’s Garden of Poetry
(HBO)

This was Ms. Schatz’s sixth DGA Award nomination. She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs in 2008 for Classical Baby (I'm Grown Up Now) “The Poetry Show,” in 2001 for 'Twas the Night' and in 1999 for Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepy Time Tales. She was previously nominated in this category for Hard Times for an American Girl: The Great Depression in 2009 and Through a Child's Eyes: September 11, 2001 in 2002.


 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Commercials

NOAM MURRO

(Biscuit Filmworks)

Handlebar Moustache, Heineken Premium Light- Wieden & Kennedy/NY

  • Unit Production Manager: James Powell Veal
  • First Assistant Director: Tommy Gormley
  • Second Assistant Director: Ian Robert Calip
  • Second Second Assistant Director: Michael King

Hot House, DirecTVGrey/NY

  • Unit Production Manager: James Powell Veal
  • First Assistant Director: Scott C. Harris
  • Second Assistant Directors: Mark Robinson, Brady Sloan

Pinata, Volkswagen TiguanDeutsch/LA

  • Unit Production Manager: James Powell Veal
  • First Assistant Director: Scott M. Metcalfe
  • Second Assistant Director: Ty Arnold

Is It Real?, EA Battlefield 3 - Wieden & Kennedy/Portland

  • First Assistant Director: Michael David Salven
  • Second Assistant Director: Erv E. Gentry
  • Second Second Assistant Director: Eric Schneider

This was Mr. Murro's sixth DGA Award nomination in this category. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for Carry (Adidas), Glen (Starbucks), and Toy Boat (eBay) in 2004. He was also nominated in this category in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2007.


 
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Documentary

JAMES MARSH

Project Nim
Red Box Films, Passion Pictures, HBO Documentary Films, Roadside Attractions, BBC Films, UK Film Council

This was Mr. Marsh’s second DGA Award nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for Man on Wire in 2008.


 

Special Awards

The recipients of the Directors Guild of America Service and Achievement Awards for 2012 are:

ED SHERIN

DGA Honorary Life Member Award

Given in recognition of outstanding creative achievement, contribution to the DGA or to the profession of directing.

KATY E. GARRETSON

Frank Capra Achievement Award

Given to an Assistant Director or Unit Production Manager in recognition of their career and service to the industry and the DGA.

DENNIS W. MAZZOCCO

Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award

Given to an Associate Director or Stage Manager in recognition of their service to the industry and DGA. 


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.

The six exceptions are as follows:

  • 1968: Anthony Harvey won the DGA Award for The Lion in Winter while Carol Reed took home the Oscar® for Oliver!
  • 1972: Francis Ford Coppola received the DGA's nod for The Godfather while the Academy selected Bob Fosse for Cabaret.
  • 1985: Steven Spielberg received his first DGA Award for The Color Purple while the Oscar® went to Sydney Pollack for Out of Africa.
  • 1995: Ron Howard was chosen by the DGA for his direction of Apollo 13 while Academy voters selected Mel Gibson for Braveheart.
  • 2000: Ang Lee won the DGA Award for his direction of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon while Steven Soderbergh won the Academy Award for Traffic.
  • 2002: Rob Marshall won the DGA Award for Chicago while Roman Polanski received the Academy Award for The Pianist

See photos from the DGA Awards Press Room below. See more DGA Awards Photo Galleries in the right hand side bar.

Pictures

Feature Films winner Director Michel Hanzanavicius with presenter Tom Hooper
Movies for Television winner Director Jon Cassar with presenter Gary Oldman
Dramatic Series winner Director Patty Jenkins with presenter Laura Dern
Comedy Series winner Director Robert B. Weide with presenter Octavia Spencer
Presenter Bryan Cranston accepts the Musical Variety Award on behalf of Glenn Weiss
Presenter Michelle Williams accepts the Documentary Award on behalf of James Marsh
Reality Programs winner Director Neil P. DeGroot with presenter Jon Cryer
Commercials winner Director Noam Murro with presenter Kathleen Robertson
Daytime Serials winner Director William Ludel with presenter Stana Katic
Childrens Programs winner Amy Schatz with presenter Deborah Ann Woll
Honorary Lifetime Membership Award recipient Ed Sherin with presenter Betty Thomas
Frank Capra Award recipient Katy Garretson with presenter Michael Apted
Franklin Schaffner Award recipient Dennis Mazzocco with presenter Taylor Hackford.

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