Directors Guild Awards 2018: Guillermo del Toro Wins for ‘The Shape of Water’

The Directors Guild of America has selected the winners of the 70th Annual DGA Awards honoring outstanding achievements in films, television, and commercials of 2017. This year, members of the Directors Guild bestowed wins on first-time nominees including Guillermo del Toro, Reed Morano, Jordan Peele, Jean-Marc Vallée, and Niki Caro.

Judd Apatow hosted the 70th Annual DGA Awards which were held on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Among the celebrities on hand to present awards were Pamela Adlon, Kevin Bacon, Damien Chazelle, Sally Hawkins, Allison Janney, Richard Jenkins, Catherine Keener, Christine Lahti, Don Mischer, Kimberly Peirce, Chelsea Peretti, Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Jay D. Roth, Amy Schumer, Frankie Shaw, John Singleton, Emma Thomas, Aisha Tyler, and Bradley Whitford.

The 2018 awards ceremony also included the presentation of special Lifetime Achievement/Service Awards to Michael Apted (Honorary Life Member Award), Dwight Williams (Frank Capra Achievement Award), and Jim Tanker (Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award).

Directors Guild of America Awards Winners:

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film:
  GUILLERMO del TORO
  The Shape of Water (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

  Mr. del Toro’s Directorial Team:

  Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
  Production Manager: Dennis Chapman
  First Assistant Director: Pierre Henry
  Second Assistant Director: Tyler Delben

  This is Guillermo del Toro’s first DGA Award nomination.

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film:
  JORDAN PEELE
  Get Out (Universal Pictures)

  Mr. Peele’s Directorial Team:

  Unit Production Managers: Marcei A. Brown, Rick A. Osako (Fairhope Unit)
  First Assistant Director: Gerard DiNardi
  Second Assistant Directors: Ram Paul Silbey, Marc Newland (Fairhope Unit), Jack McKenna (New York Unit)
  Second Second Assistant Director: Maggie Ballard
  Location Manager: Kurt Enger (New York Unit)

  This was one of two DGA Award nominations this year for Jordan Peele. He was also nominated in the Feature Film category for Get Out.

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series:
  REED MORANO
  The Handmaid’s Tale, “Offred” (Hulu)

  Ms. Morano’s Directorial Team:

  Unit Production Manager: Joe Boccia

  This is Reed Morano’s first DGA Award nomination.

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series:
  BETH McCARTHY-MILLER

  Veep, “Chicklet” (HBO)

  Ms. McCarthy-Miller’s Directorial Team:

  Unit Production Manager: David Hyman
  First Assistant Director: Dale Stern
  Second Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
  Second Second Assistant Director: Yarden Levo
  Additional Second Assistant Director: Chalis Romero

  This is Beth McCarthy-Miller’s twelfth DGA Award nomination. She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series in 2013 for the 30 Rock episode “Hogcock!/Last Lunch.” She was also nominated that year, together with Rob Ashford, in the Movies for Television and Mini-Series category for The Sound of Music Live! She was previously nominated in the Comedy Series category for 30 Rock episodes “Live from Studio 6H” in 2012, “Live Show” in 2010, “The Reunion Episode #304” in 2008 and “Somebody to Love” in 2007.

  She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety twice, in 2001 for America: A Tribute to Heroes (co-directed with Joel Gallen) and in 2000 for the “Val Kilmer and U2” episode of Saturday Night Live. She was also twice nominated in that category for Saturday Night Live episodes “Christopher Walken and The Foo Fighters” in 2003 and the 25th Anniversary episode in 1999. She was also nominated in 2015 in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials category for Adele Live in New York City.

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series:
  JEAN-MARC VALLÉE
  Big Little Lies (HBO)

  Mr. Vallée’s Directorial Team:

  Unit Production Managers: Barbara A. Hall, G.D. Fienberg
  First Assistant Director: David Ticotin
  Second Assistant Director: Christine Danahy
  Second Second Assistant Director: Bob Riley
  Additional Second Assistant Directors: Bryan Landrine, Rob Burgess, Allison Rushton, Mallory Squeo

  This is Jean-Marc Vallée’s first DGA Award nomination.

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming:
  DON ROY KING
  Saturday Night Live, “Host: Jimmy Fallon” (NBC)

  Mr. King’s Directorial Team:

  Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Bob Caminiti
  Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly

  This is Don Roy King’s twelfth DGA Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in this category for Saturday Night Live, “Host: Dave Chappelle” in 2016 and for Saturday Night Live “Host: Justin Timberlake” in 2013. Mr King also won the DGA Award for Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials for Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special in 2015. He was previously nominated for Saturday Night Live episodes in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, and in 2015 in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming category for the Saturday Night Live episode, “Host: Tracy Morgan/Musical Guest: Demi Lovato.”

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials:
  GLENN WEISS
  The 89th Annual Academy Awards (ABC)

  Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:

  Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Eve Adair, Susan Kopensky, Lori Margules, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Michael Polito
  Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Rita Cossette, Dave Cove, John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Chris Hines, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Arthur Lewis, Roxanne Lozano, Ron Paul, Tammy Raab, Jason Seligman, Jackie Stathis, Cheryl Teetzel-Moore, Debbie Williams, Ari Woog

  This is Glenn Weiss’s fourteenth DGA Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials in 2013, 2014 and 2016 for the 67th, 68th and 70th Annual Tony Awards and in the Musical Variety category in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012 for the 61st, 64th, 65th, and 66th Annual Tony Awards. He was also nominated in the Musical Variety category in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008 for the 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th, and 62nd Annual Tony Awards. Additionally, Mr. Weiss was nominated in 2015 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series, together with Rob Ashford, for Peter Pan Live!.

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs:
  BRIAN SMITH
  MasterChef, “Vegas Deluxe & Oyster Shucks” (FOX)

  Mr. Smith’s Directorial Team:

  Associate Director: Anna Moulaison
  Stage Managers: Drew Lewandowski, Brady Hess

  This is Brian Smith’s fifth DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs in 2012 for MasterChef, “Episode #305.” He was previously nominated in this category for episodes of MasterChef in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, and in 2016 for S.T.R.O.N.G., “Welcome to Strong.”

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs:
  NIKI CARO
  Anne with an E, “Your Will Shall Decide Your Destiny” (Netflix)

  This is Niki Caro’s first DGA Award nomination.

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials:
  MARTIN de THURAH
  (Epoch Films)

  Festival, StubHub – Goodby Silverstein

  First Assistant Director: Charles Conner

  Machines, StubHub – Goodby Silverstein

  First Assistant Director: Charles Conner

  Mad World, WealthSimple – WealthSimple In House

  First Assistant Directors: Jey Wada
  Second Assistant Director: Custis Smith

  This is Martin de Thurah’s second DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials in 2013 for The Man Who Couldn’t Slow Down (Hennessy VS) and Human Race (Acura MDX 2014).

• Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary:
  MATTHEW HEINEMAN
  City of Ghosts (Amazon)

  This is Matthew Heineman’s second DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary in 2015 for Cartel Land.

• Lifetime Achievement & Service Award Recipients:
  MICHAEL APTED
  Honorary Life Member Award

  Given in recognition of leadership in the industry, contribution to the Guild and the profession of directing, and outstanding career achievement.

  DWIGHT WILLIAMS
  Frank Capra Achievement Award

  This award 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.

  JIM TANKER
  Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award

  This award is given to an Associate Director or Stage Manager in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.