The 61st annual Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards were held in Los Angeles on Jan. 31st, honoring recipients for their outstanding work in film and television.
Danny Boyle took home the big prize, accepting the award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for Slumdog Millionaire, which is good news for his Oscar chances as the award has served as a near-perfect barometer for the Academy Award for Best Director. (Since its inception in 1948 the DGA’s choice of directorial achievement in feature film has only differed six times from the Oscar’s Best Director).
The award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary went to Ari Folman for the animated Waltz with Bashir, and Jay Roach took home the Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television/Miniseries for the television movie, Recount.
Service and achievement awards were given to Roger Ebert in recognition of outstanding creative achievement, contribution to the Directors Guild of America or the profession of directing, and director William M. Brady for extraordinary service to the Directors Guild of America and to its membership.
Presenters at the awards ceremony included Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Josh Brolin and Marisa Tomei.