In previous years, the Directors Guild Nominations would come down before Oscar ballots were due so one assumed they might have an impact on the race. This year, the Oscar ballots are already turned in so at best tomorrow’s nominations might help us gauge industry sentiment from the POV of one particular guild. Unlike the directing branch of AMPAS, the DGA includes a lot of TV and commercial directors so the two groups don’t always match up 100%
For what they’re worth, here are my predictions for tomorrow’s announcement:
- Ben Affleck, Argo
- Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
- Ang Lee, Life of Pi
- Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
- Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
I’m pretty comfortable with the first four and less certain about Tarantino. Previous DGA nominees Tom Hooper or David O. Russell could also get in for Les Miserables and The Silver Linings Playbook respectively instead of QT. Paul Thomas Anderson would also be a possibility though The Master seems to be out of everyone’s memory. Somewhat more surprising would be Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild. That’s my opinion anyway.
Filed under: Predictions
It would indeed seem that your first four are locks, and in each case well-deserved. I am hoping Hooper snares the fifth spot, though I wouldn’t be disappointed if Tarantino did, as I am a big fan of DJANGO UNCHAINED.
I know you didn’t like it, but I’m rooting for Paul Thomas Anderson for the 5th spot. It’s not happening (more likely to happen with the Oscars actually), but a guy can dream!