First-time feature filmmaker nods go to Jefferson, Martelli, Niasari, Rockwell and Song
The field of feature film nominees for the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards spanning two categories is set. Nominated for the DGA honor for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2023 are Greta Gerwig for Barbie, Yorgos Lanthimos for Poor Things, Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer, Alexander Payne for The Holdovers, and Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon.
“In a year full of so many extraordinary films, DGA members have nominated an incredible group of gifted storytellers,” said Lesli Linka Glatter, DGA president. “Their films fused technical prowess with unique artistic visions that captured the depth of the human experience and left an indelible impact on audiences around the world. Congratulations to these superb directors on their well-deserved nominations.”
Here’s a fuller rundown of the nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2023 (in alphabetical order):
GRETA GERWIG
Barbie
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Michael Sharp
First Assistant Director: Josh Robertson
Second Assistant Directors: David Keadell, Matthew Milan (Los Angeles Unit)
YORGOS LANTHIMOS
Poor Things
(Searchlight Pictures)
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
Oppenheimer
(Universal Pictures)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Thomas Hayslip, Nathan Kelly, Rafael Lima (New Jersey / New York Unit)
First Assistant Director: Nilo Otero
Second Assistant Director: Andrew Stahl
Second Second Assistant Director: Jesse Carmona
Additional Second Assistant Directors: Dixon McPhillips, Richard Molloy (New Jersey / New York Unit), AJ Jackson (New Jersey / New York Unit)
Location Manager: Patty Carey Perazzo (New Jersey / New York Unit)
ALEXANDER PAYNE
The Holdovers
(Focus Features)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Chris Stinson
First Assistant Director: Rod Smith
Second Assistant Director: John Nasraway
Second Second Assistant Director: Tim LaDue
MARTIN SCORSESE
Killers of the Flower Moon
(Apple Original Films / Paramount Pictures)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Daniel Lupi, Shea Kammer
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Jeremy Marks
Second Second Assistant Director: Dominic Pacitti
Additional Second Assistant Director: Nuekellar Hardy
First-time feature directors
In addition, Glatter announced the five nominees for the Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film. The renaming of this award was introduced at last year’s ceremony, honoring the DGA’s late past-president Apted’s vision in establishing recognition of outstanding debut work in feature film direction.
The nominees for the Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film are: Cord Jefferson for American Fiction; Manuela Martelli for Chile ‘76; Noora Niasari for Shayda; A.V. Rockwell for A Thousand and One; and Celine Song for Past Lives.
Here’s a fuller rundown of each nominee:
CORD JEFFERSON
American Fiction
(Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
MANUELA MARTELLI
Chile ‘76
(Kino Lober)
NOORA NIASARI
Shayda
(Sony Pictures Classics / ORIGMA 45)
A.V. ROCKWELL
A Thousand and One
(Focus Features)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Jamin O’Brien
First Assistant Director: Daniel Lugo
Second Assistant Director: Teena Marie Delerme-Lugo
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Rob York
Second Second Assistant Director: Donté Bouyer
Additional Second Assistant Director: T.J. Hallett
Location Manager: Joanna Lu
CELINE SONG
Past Lives
(A24)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Kerry Johnson
First Assistant Director: Ben Kahn
Second Assistant Director: Geraldine Schubert
Second Second Assistant Director: Dan Levy
Location Manager: Joseph Mullaney
The winners will be revealed at the 76th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 10.
Partizan Connects With Directorial Duo Ethan & Tom For Global Representation
Partizan has added the London-based directing duo Ethan & Tom to its roster for global representation. Known for their expert technical fluency and authentic casting, Ethan & Tom deploy diverse methods of filmmaking, telling stories ranging from well-crafted visual jokes to stunning and extravagant cinematic worlds.
Ethan & Tom met in 2017 at the University of Westminster where they started making music videos for friends. One of their early projects for the band Badgirl$ caught the attention of Sony Music, leading to a series of successful videos--all while they were still students.
They’ve since worked with a diverse array of artists, including Flohio, Greentea Peng, P-rallel, Nayana IZ, Wu-Lu, Berwyn, PinkPantheress, Tendai, and Jeshi. Ethan & Tom’s work captures the essence of their collaborators and finds intimacy in the artists with whom they work. Ethan & Tom have collaborated with brands like Toyota, North Face, Puma, JD Sports, Lacoste and Gorillas. Prior to joining Partizan, Ethan & Tom were most recently represented by Academy.
In a joint statement, Ethan & Tom shared, “We’re really excited to be joining Partizan’s roster, their creative spirit and exceptional team of producers, reps and EPs have been a dream to work with and we’re buzzing to be stepping into this next chapter with them.”
Partizan founder Georges Bermann said, “Ethan and Tom’s reputation for originality, dedication, and innovative thinking has truly stood out. We’re anticipating a very exciting future for them at Partizan.”
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