Steve McQueen directs Michael Fassbender in 12 Years a Slave

The Directors Guild of America announced this year's five nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film. Chosen by their peers, the winner will be named at the 66th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 25.

Paul Greengrass was nominated for the first time for his Tom Hanks-starring Captain Phillips, which had its World Premiere as the Opening Night selection of the 51st New York Film Festival. Greengrass spoke to FilmLinc Daily about the film in advance of its bow. Also receiving his first nomination was Steve McQueen, whose celebrated 12 Years a Slave made its New York debut at NYFF51 and who, just last night, was introduced by the great Harry Belafonte with a stirring speech at the New York Film Critics Circle awards.

The other three nominees did not see their films screened at NYFF, but we won't hold it against them. In fact, The Wolf of Wall Street director Martin Scorsese is among the Film Society's closest friends, regularly turning up at the Walter Reade Theater to introduce films (like our NYFF51 Revivals screening of The Age of Innocence) and even presenting our upcoming survey of the Masterpieces of Polish Cinema. This marks Scorsese's 11th DGA nomination. Oh, and David O. Russell (American Hustle) and Alfonso CuarĂłn (Gravity) are swell, too.

The list does not come as much of a surprise, though fans of Inside Llewyn Davis (as we know a lot of FilmLinc Daily readers are) will likely bristle at a fourth guild snub for the Coen brothers. Inside Llewyn Davis was also shut out of SAG, PGA, and WGA nominations.

Here's the official press release:

Los Angeles – Directors Guild of America President Paris Barclay today announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2013.

“To be chosen by your peers in a year full of incredibly well-crafted films is the true marker of outstanding directorial achievement,” said Barclay. “The passion and vision of each of the nominees resulted in tremendously diverse films that kept audiences mesmerized. Congratulations to each of the nominees on a job very well done.”

The winner will be named at the 66th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. The nominees are (in alphabetical order):

ALFONSO CUARÓN
Gravity
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Cuarón’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: David Siegel (Arizona Unit)
· First Assistant Directors: Josh Robertson, Stephen Hagen (Arizona Unit)
· Second Assistant Director: Ben Howard

This is Mr. Cuarón’s first DGA Award nomination.

PAUL GREENGRASS
Captain Phillips
(Columbia Pictures)

Mr. Greengrass’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Managers: Todd Lewis, Gregory Goodman
· First Assistant Director: Chris Carreras
· Second Assistant Directors: Nick Shuttleworth, Mark S. Constance

This is Mr. Greengrass’s first DGA Award nomination.

STEVE McQUEEN
12 Years A Slave
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Mr. McQueen’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Anthony Katagas
· First Assistant Director: Doug Torres
· Second Assistant Director: James Roque Jr.
· Second Second Assistant Director: Sherman Shelton Jr.
· Additional Second Assistant Director: Nathan Parker

This is Mr. McQueen’s first DGA Award nomination.

DAVID O. RUSSELL
American Hustle
(Columbia Pictures)

Mr. Russell’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Managers: Shea Kammer, Mark Kamine
· First Assistant Director: Michele ‘Shelley’ Ziegler
· Second Assistant Director: Xanthus Valan
· Second Second Assistant Director: Jason Fesel
· Location Managers: David Velasco, Guy Efrat (New York Unit)

This is Mr. Russell’s second DGA Award nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for The Fighter in 2010.

MARTIN SCORSESE
The Wolf of Wall Street
(Paramount Pictures)

Mr. Scorsese’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Richard Baratta
· First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
· Second Assistant Director: Francisco Oritz
· Second Second Assistant Director: Jeremy Marks
· Additional Second Assistant Director: Scott Koche
· Location Manager: Nils Widboom

This is Mr. Scorsese’s eleventh DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film in 2006 for The Departed, and has also been nominated in that category for Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), The Age of Innocence (1993), Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004) and Hugo (2011). Mr. Scorsese also won the DGA Award in 2010 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Television for Boardwalk Empire and he was nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for George Harrison: Living in the Material World in 2011. In 1999, Mr. Scorsese was presented with the Filmmaker Award at the inaugural DGA Honors Gala, and he was honored with the DGA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.

The winner in the Feature Film category will be announced at the 66th Annual DGA Awards dinner and ceremony on Saturday evening, January 25, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. The DGA Awards will be hosted by actor Jane Lynch.

DGA nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television and Commercials will be announced on January 9, 2014. DGA nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentaries will be announced on January 13, 2014. BMW is the Exclusive Automotive Sponsor of the 66th Annual DGA Awards.