*Best Director last updated 3/9/26
Best Director

1.
Paul Thomas Anderson
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
WINS
DIRECTOR’S GUILD OF AMERICA
EE British Academy Film Awards
GOLDEN GLOBE
National Society Of Film Critics
Los Angeles Film Critics Assn.
Critics Choice Awards
London Critics Circle
Dallas-Fort Worth FCA
AACTA International Awards
National Board of Review
Chicago Film Critics Association
Boston Online Film Critics Assn.
Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Online Film & Television Assn.
Online Film Critics Society
Hawaii Film Critics Society
North Dakota Film Society
Greater Western NY FCA
Columbus Film Critics Association
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle
Minnesota Film Critics Association
Portland Critics Association
New Jersey Film Critics Circle
UK Film Critics Association
Georgia Film Critics Association
Philadelphia Film Critics Circle
Austin Film Critics Association
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Phoenix Film Critics Society
Seattle Film Critics Society
San Francisco Bay Area FCC
Phoenix Critics Circle
Indiana Film Journalists Assn.
Toronto Film Critics Association
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Atlanta Film Critics Circle
RUNNER-UP
Southern Eastern Film Critics Assn.
New York Film Critics Online
Florida Film Critics Circle
Pittsburgh Film Critics Association
Critics Assn. Of Central Florida
Dublin Film Critics Circle
NOMS
OSCAR
International Cinephile Society
Latino Ent. Journalists Assn.
Chicago Indie Critics
Puerto Rico Critics Association
Vancouver Film Critics Circle
North Carolina Film Critics Assn.
Denver Film Critics Society
Houston Film Critics Society
Music City Film Critics Association
Florida Film Critics Circle
North Texas Film Critics Assn.
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
Utah Film Critics Association
Online Assn. of Female Film Critics
IPA Satellite Awards
Dorian Award (GALECA)
San Diego Film Critics Society
Washington DC Area FCA
Michigan Movie Critics Guild
AARP Movies For Grownups
Hollywood Creative Alliance
Gotham Film Awards
SPECIAL MENTIONS

2.
Ryan Coogler
SINNERS
WINS
Southern Eastern Film Critics Assn.
New York Film Critics Online
Boston Society of Film Critics
Vancouver Film Critics Circle
Dorian Award (GALECA)
Black Reel Awards
Latino Ent. Journalists Assn.
North Carolina Film Critics Assn.
Denver Film Critics Society
Houston Film Critics Society
Chicago Indie Critics
Music City Film Critics Association
Hollywood Creative Alliance
Pittsburgh Film Critics Association
Critics Assn. Of Central Florida
Puerto Rico Critics Association
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
North Texas Film Critics Assn.
Black Film Critics Circle
Online Assn. of Female Film Critics
Dublin Film Critics Circle
San Diego Film Critics Society
African American Film Critics Assn.
Washington DC Area FCA
Michigan Movie Critics Guild
RUNNER-UP
Los Angeles Film Critics Assn.
Dallas-Fort Worth FCA
Online Film & Television Assn.
Utah Film Critics Association
Columbus Film Critics Association
Georgia Film Critics Association
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle
Portland Critics Association
New Jersey Film Critics Circle
Philadelphia Film Critics Circle
San Francisco Bay Area FCC
Indiana Film Journalists Assn.
Toronto Film Critics Association
Atlanta Film Critics Circle
NOMS
OSCAR
DIRECTOR’S GUILD OF AMERICA
EE British Academy Film Awards
GOLDEN GLOBE
Critics Choice Awards
AACTA International Awards
London Critics Circle
Chicago Film Critics Association
Online Film Critics Society
Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Minnesota Film Critics Association
Greater Western NY FCA
Florida Film Critics Circle
Hawaii Film Critics Society
North Dakota Film Society
UK Film Critics Association
IPA Satellite Awards
Saturn Award
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Austin Film Critics Association
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Seattle Film Critics Society
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Black Film Critics Circle (Pioneer)

3.
Joachim Trier
SENTIMENTAL VALUE
WINS
European Film Award
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
OSCAR
EE British Academy Film Awards
GOLDEN GLOBE
Critics Choice Awards
New York Film Critics Online
Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Denver Film Critics Society
Minnesota Film Critics Association
New Jersey Film Critics Circle
North Texas Film Critics Assn.
North Dakota Film Society
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
Georgia Film Critics Association
Online Assn. of Female Film Critics
IPA Satellite Awards
Austin Film Critics Association
Phoenix Critics Circle
Hollywood Creative Alliance
SPECIAL MENTIONS

4.
Chloé Zhao
HAMNET
WINS
Iowa Film Critics Association
Women Film Critics Circle
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
OSCAR
DIRECTOR’S GUILD OF AMERICA
EE British Academy Film Awards
GOLDEN GLOBE
Critics Choice Awards
AACTA International Awards
Dallas-Fort Worth FCA
New York Film Critics Online
London Critics Circle
Latino Ent. Journalists Assn.
Online Film & Television Assn.
Online Film Critics Society
Denver Film Critics Society
Houston Film Critics Society
Chicago Indie Critics
North Dakota Film Society
Music City Film Critics Association
Minnesota Film Critics Association
Puerto Rico Critics Association
New Jersey Film Critics Circle
North Texas Film Critics Assn.
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
Georgia Film Critics Association
Online Assn. of Female Film Critics
Hawaii Film Critics Society
Vancouver Film Critics Circle
San Diego Film Critics Society
Washington DC Area FCA
Utah Film Critics Association
IPA Satellite Awards
Dorian Award (GALECA)
St. Louis Film Critics Assn.
Michigan Movie Critics Guild
Seattle Film Critics Society
Hollywood Creative Alliance
SPECIAL MENTIONS
AWFJ (Female Director)

5.
Josh Safdie
MARTY SUPREME
WINS
RUNNER-UP
Midnight Critics Circle
NOMS
OSCAR
DIRECTOR’S GUILD OF AMERICA
EE British Academy Film Awards
Critics Choice Awards
AACTA International Awards
New York Film Critics Online
London Critics Circle
Chicago Film Critics Association
Online Film Critics Society
Online Film & Television Assn.
North Carolina Film Critics Assn.
Houston Film Critics Society
North Dakota Film Society
Music City Film Critics Association
Columbus Film Critics Association
Minnesota Film Critics Association
Portland Critics Association
Greater Western NY FCA
Hawaii Film Critics Society
North Texas Film Critics Assn.
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Austin Film Critics Association
Dorian Award (GALECA)
Indiana Film Journalists Assn.
Washington DC Area FCA
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Michigan Movie Critics Guild
Seattle Film Critics Society
Hollywood Creative Alliance
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Who Was Next In Line
6. Jafar Panahi
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT

WINS
New York Film Critics Circle
Gotham Film Awards
Midnight Critics Circle
RUNNER-UP
National Society Of Film Critics
Puerto Rico Critics Association
NOMS
GOLDEN GLOBE
New York Film Critics Online
Chicago Film Critics Association
Online Film Critics Society
Chicago Indie Critics
Columbus Film Critics Association
Portland Critics Association
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
IPA Satellite Awards
Dorian Award (GALECA)
Dublin Film Critics Circle
Online Assn. of Female Film Critics
San Diego Film Critics Society
Phoenix Critics Circle
Washington DC Area FCA
St. Louis Film Critics Association
European Film Awards
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Puerto Rico CA (Resistance Award)
7. Guillermo del Toro
FRANKENSTEIN

WINS
AARP Movies For Grownups
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
DIRECTOR’S GUILD OF AMERICA
GOLDEN GLOBE
Critics Choice Awards
AACTA International Awards
Dallas-Fort Worth FCA
Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Online Film & Television Assn.
Latino Ent. Journalists Assn.
North Carolina Film Critics Assn.
Denver Film Critics Society
Houston Film Critics Society
Chicago Indie Critics
Music City Film Critics Association
Greater Western NY FCA
Utah Film Critics Association
Hawaii Film Critics Society
UK Film Critics Association
IPA Satellite Awards
Saturn Award
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Austin Film Critics Association
Michigan Movie Critics Guild
Hollywood Creative Alliance
SPECIAL MENTIONS
8. Kleber Mendonca Filho
THE SECRET AGENT

WINS
Cannes Film Festival
International Cinephile Society
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
Latino Ent. Journalists Assn.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
9. Oliver Laxe
SIRĀT

WINS
RUNNER-UP
Puerto Rico Critics Association
Toronto Film Critics Association
NOMS
New York Film Critics Online
London Critics Circle
International Cinephile Society
European Film Awards
Gotham Film Awards
SPECIAL MENTIONS
The Rest Of The Field
10. Yorgos Lanthimos
BUGONIA

WINS
RUNNER-UP
San Diego Film Critics Society
NOMS
EE British Academy Film Awards
European Film Awards
SPECIAL MENTIONS
11. Clint Bentley
TRAIN DREAMS

WINS
Independent Spirit Awards
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
Portland Critics Association
Georgia Film Critics Association
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Indiana Film Journalists Assn.
Seattle Film Critics Society
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Chicago Indie (Breakout nom)
GWNYFCA (Breakthrough nom)
Las VegasFCS (Breakout)
IFJA (Breakout nom)
12. Richard Linklater
BLUE MOON

WINS
RUNNER-UP
National Society Of Film Critics
NOMS
SPECIAL MENTIONS
13. Richard Linklater
NOUVELLE VAGUE

WINS
RUNNER-UP
National Society Of Film Critics
NOMS
SPECIAL MENTIONS
14. Park Chan-wook
NO OTHER CHOICE

WINS
Florida Film Critics Circle
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
New York Film Critics Online
North Carolina Film Critics Assn.
Portland Critics Association
New Jersey Film Critics Circle
Phoenix Critics Circle
Indiana Film Journalists Assn.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
15. Mary Bronstein
IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU

WINS
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
Greater Western NY FCA
Independent Spirit Awards
Gotham Film Awards
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Chicago FCA (Breakthrough nom)
GWNYFCA (Breakthrough)
AWFJ (Female Director nom)
16. Eva Victor
SORRY BABY

WINS
Utah Film Critics Association
RUNNER-UP
Women Film Critics Circle
NOMS
Independent Spirit Awards
SPECIAL MENTIONS
NYFCO (Debut)
Chicago FCA (Breakthrough)
NBR (Directorial Debut)
Boston SFC (New Filmmaker)
Midnight Critics Circle (Debut)
Intl. Cinephile Society (Debut nom)
Online Film & TV Assn. (Debut)
Online Film Critics Society (Debut)
North Carolina FCA (Debut)
Chicago Indie Critics (Breakout)
Hawaii Film Critics Society (New)
Columbus FCA (Breakthrough RU)
CACF (First Feature)
Oklahoma FCC (First Feature)
GWNYFCA (Breakthrough nom)
New Jersey FCC (Debut)
Dublin FCS (Intl. Breakthrough)
AWFJ (Female Director nom)
Philadelphia FCC (Debut RU))
OAFFC (Breakthrough)
Florida FCC (First Feature)
Las Vegas FCS (Breakout nom)
San Diego FCS (First Feature)
Austin FCA (First Film)
Austin FCA (Breakthrough)
IFJA (Breakout nom)
AFCC (First Feature)
17. James Cameron
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH

WINS
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
IPA Satellite Awards
Saturn Award
SPECIAL MENTIONS
18. Mona Fastvold
THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE

WINS
RUNNER-UP
NOMS
New York Film Critics Online
Chicago Film Critics Association
Puerto Rico Critics Association
SPECIAL MENTIONS
AWFJ (Female Director nom)
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