The Directors Guild nominees for best feature film of 2008 were recently announced in Los Angeles. While there aren’t any surprises on the list, the nominees undoubtedly include some of the most talented and exciting moviemakers working today. The DGA nominees for the 2009 award ceremony are: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), Gus Van Sant (Milk), David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon). Movie critic/author Roger Ebert will also receive a trophy—the 2009 Honorary Life Member Award—at the DGA ceremony.

Many esteemed moviemakers are members of the DGA National Board of Directors, including DGA President Michael Apted (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Amazing Grace), Vice President Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Che) and Third Vice President Taylor Hackford (Ray, An Officer and a Gentleman).

The guild has continually provided an accurate forecast of the Academy Award winning moviemaker. Only six times since 1948 has the DGA feature film winner not gone on to win the best directing Oscar.

This year’s winner will be named at the 61st Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday January 31 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.