Directors Guild of America Third Vice President Taylor Hackford announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2008. The winner will be named at the 61st Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday evening, January 31, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

The nominees are (in alphabetical order):

DANNY BOYLE — SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
(Fox Searchlight Pictures & Warner Bros. Pictures)

• Mr. Boyle’s Directorial Team:
• Unit Production Manager: Sanjay Kumar
• First Assistant Director: Raj Acharya
• Second Assistant Director: Avani Batra
• Second Second Assistant Director: Sonia Nemawarkar

This is Mr. Boyle’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

DAVID FINCHER — THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
(Paramount Pictures & Warner Bros. Pictures)

• Mr. Fincher’s Directorial Team:
• Unit Production Manager: Daniel M. Stillman
• First Assistant Director: Bob Wagner
• Second Assistant Director: Allen Kupetsky
• Second Second Assistant Directors: Pete Waterman, Stephen F. Lonano

This is Mr. Fincher’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Commercial Award for Speed Chain (Nike), Gamebreakers (Nikegridiron.com), and Beauty for Sale (Xelibri Phones) in 2003.

RON HOWARD — FROST/NIXON
(Universal Pictures)

Mr. Howard’s Directorial Team:

• Unit Production Manager: Kathleen McGill
• First Assistant Director: William M. Connor
• Second Assistant Director: Kristen Ploucha
• Second Second Assistant Director: Scott R. Meyers

This is Mr. Howard’s fourth DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for Cocoon in 1985, and won the Award in 2001 for his direction of A Beautiful Mind and in 1995 for Apollo 13.

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN — THE DARK KNIGHT
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Nolan’s Directorial Team:

• Unit Production Managers: Kevin De La Noy, Susan Towner, Jan Foster
• First Assistant Director: Nilo Otero
• Second Assistant Director: Brandon Lambdin
• Additional Second Assistant Director: Jessica Franks
• Second Second Assistant Director: Greg Pawlik
• Location Manager: James R. McAllister

This is Mr. Nolan’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Memento in 2001.

GUS VAN SANT — MILK
(Focus Features)

Mr. Van Sant’s Directorial Team:

• Unit Production Manager: Barbara A. Hall
• First Assistant Director: David Webb
• Second Assistant Director: John R. Saunders
• Second Second Assistant Director: Ian Calip
• Additional Second Assistant Director: Cindy A. Taylor

This is Mr. Van Sant’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Good Will Hunting in 1997.

The winner in the Feature Film category will be announced at the 61st Annual DGA Awards Dinner and ceremony on Saturday evening, January 31, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

Source Directors Guild of America

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Slumdog Millionaire was the big winner with five wins for Best Picture, Best Director for Danny Boyle, Best Writer for Simon Beaufoy, Best Young Actor/Actress for Dev Patel and Best Composer for A.R. Rahman. Sean Penn and Milk received two awards, Best Actor and Best Ensemble. Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) and Meryl Streep (Doubt) tied in the lead actress category, marking only the second tie in a lead actor category.

WINNERS OF THE 14TH ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE: Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR: Sean Penn – Milk

BEST ACTRESS: – Tie: Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married and Meryl Streep – Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Kate Winslet – The Reader

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE: Milk

BEST DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire

BEST WRITER (Original or Adapted Screenplay): Simon Beaufoy – Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Wall-E

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS (Under 21): Dev Patel – Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTION MOVIE: The Dark Knight

BEST COMEDY: Tropic Thunder

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION: John Adams

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Waltz With Bashir

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Man On Wire

BEST SONG (performer/writer, film): “The Wrestler” – Bruce Springsteen/Bruce Springsteen – The Wrestler

BEST COMPOSER: A.R. Rahman – Slumdog Millionaire

JOEL SIEGEL AWARD: Richard Gere

For a complete list of winners, celebrity interviews from the red carpet and to see the full televised broadcast, go to VH1’s “Critics’ Choice Awards” site.

Source: VH1