The DGA Awards 2025 was celebrated on February 8, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The Directors Guild of America put on this important event to honor the best directors in movies and TV shows.
Hosted by Judd Apatow, the 77th DGA Awards had a huge range of talent from both well-known and up-and-coming filmmakers. The most anticipated part of the night was when Sean Baker won the top award for his movie Anora.
With directors like James Mangold and Jacques Audiard among the nominees, the competition in the main categories was intense. On the television side, Shōgun and Ripley stood out with impressive wins.
The DGA honored exceptional work in television, documentaries, and commercials in addition to the film categories. A wide variety of storytelling, from dramatic series to special programming, was displayed by the winners in different fields. The full list of DGA Awards 2025 winners is available here.
Full list of winners at the DGA Awards 2025
Theatrical Feature Film
Sean Baker – Anora
Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Olivia Kavanaugh
- First Assistant Director: Liza Mann
- Second Assistant Director: Sofía Blanco
- Second Second Assistant Director: Steve Coleman
- Location Manager: Ross Brodar
Michael Apted First-Time Theatrical Feature Film
RaMell Ross – Nickel Boys
Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Kenneth Yu
- First Assistant Director: James Roque
- Second Assistant Director: Jonathan M. Warren
- Second Second Assistant Director: Thalia Skaleris
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Zachery Scherer
- Location Manager: Batou Chandler
Documentary
- Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev – Porcelain War
Dramatic Series
- Frederick E.O. Toye – Shōgun, “Crimson Sky”
Comedy Series
Lucia Aniello – Hacks, “Bulletproof”
Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Chris R. Robinson
- First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
- Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern Linares
- Second Second Assistant Director: Alaina Neumann
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Chalis Romero
Movies for Television and Limited Series
- Steven Zaillian – Ripley
Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming
- Liz Patrick – Saturday Night Live, “John Mulaney / Chappell Roan”
Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials
- Beth McCarthy-Miller – The Roast of Tom Brady
Reality Programs
- Neil DeGroot – Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, “The Cliffs of Ireland”
Children’s Programs
- Amber Sealey – Out of My Mind
Commercials
- Andreas Nilsson – Board Game, Hennessy
Documentary
- Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev – Porcelain War
Other Notable Winners
- Ang Lee received the Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating his career in filmmaking.
Sean Baker takes the top honor for Anora
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Sean Baker received the highest honor at the 2025 DGA Awards for his work directing Anora. Although Baker has already received praise from critics for his work, this victory for Anora cemented his standing in Hollywood.
The film, which has received praise for its emotional depth and unvarnished storytelling, tells a complicated story that defies conventional filmmaking methods. It was a climactic moment for Baker, who thanked his cast and crew, especially star Mikey Madison, for their support. Baker also conveyed his astonishment at the acknowledgment and his sincere appreciation in his acceptance speech.
Anora's victory is evidence of his foresight and perseverance. In addition to receiving recognition at the DGA Awards, Anora also won Best Picture at the Critics Choice Awards the previous evening. Baker's victory at the DGA solidifies his position as a leading candidate for the next Academy Awards.
The movie's success was greatly influenced by Baker's directing crew, which included important individuals like Olivia Kavanaugh, the Unit Production Manager. The victory was a celebration of the teamwork that went into making Anora as well as a personal victory for Baker. His appreciation of the team's efforts highlights teamwork as important to the filmmaking process.
Sean Baker’s victory for Anora and RaMell Ross’s win for Nickel Boys were among the standout moments of the evening. Television productions like Shōgun and Hacks also garnered significant recognition.
The evening reflected the evolving landscape of the entertainment industry. With many of these winners likely to be contenders at the Oscars, the DGA Awards 2025 proved to be a crucial event in the lead-up to the Academy Awards.