Director Paul Thomas Anderson named Best Director by the Directors Guild of America.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson won the Best Director award at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday, solidifying the status of his film One Battle After Another as a major contender for the Oscars.

A Film About the Past and Redemption

Anderson’s feature film follows a former revolutionary trying to protect his teenage daughter as his past resurfaces to haunt him. It was awarded Best Fiction Film, a prize widely regarded as a key indicator of trends to watch for the Oscars, the pinnacle of the Hollywood awards season.

Upon receiving his award in Beverly Hills, Anderson stated:
“It is an immense honor for me to receive this award.”
He added, “We accept this with all the love it was given to us, thanking all our colleagues present in this room.”

Leonardo DiCaprio Stars

The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and depicts America in an unspecified time where white supremacists conspire in the shadows, migration raids impact the population, and revolutionary groups take up arms.

One Battle After Another had already received acclaim at the Critics’ Choice Awards in January and had won several awards at the Golden Globes.

Oscars and Nomination Statistics

The film will enter the Oscars with the second-highest number of nominations, totaling 13, second only to Sinners by Ryan Coogler, which holds the record with 16 nominations. Coogler was also nominated for Best Fiction Film by the DGA and received his award from Sean Baker, last year’s winner for Anora, who subsequently won the Oscar.

Historically, 20 of the 22 DGA award winners have gone on to win the Oscar for Best Director.

Best Documentary Award

At the same ceremony, Ukrainian director and journalist Mestislav Tchernov, an Oscar winner, took home the award for Best Documentary for 2000 Meters to Andriivka, which follows a Ukrainian unit attempting to liberate a village occupied by Russians and provides a poignant glimpse into the war.

Tchernov stated during the awards, hosted by comedian Kamille Nanjani:
“It is terrifying to live in a world where, instead of holding a camera, you have to bear arms to defend your country and your beliefs.”
He added, “I want to thank all the soldiers, civilians, and filmmakers who chose to put down their cameras to take up arms and give someone like me a chance to live.”