The Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Director is one of the annual awards given by the Toronto Film Critics Association.
Winners
1990s YearWinnerFilmRef1997 Atom Egoyan The Sweet Hereafter Liam Lacey, "Egoyan film top pick". The Globe and Mail, January 15, 1998. Paul Thomas Anderson Boogie Nights James Cameron Titanic Curtis Hanson L.A. Confidential Ang Lee The Ice Storm1998 Steven Spielberg Saving Private Ryan "War movies are the big winners". Hamilton Spectator, December 18, 1998. Steven Soderbergh Out of Sight Todd Solondz Happiness1999 Paul Thomas Anderson Magnolia "Toronto critics pick Magnolia as best film of 1999 Yet-unreleased second picture from director of Boogie Nights follows linked stories of characters in San Fernando Valley". The Globe and Mail, December 17, 1999. Sam Mendes American Beauty Steven Soderbergh The Limey
2000s YearWinnerFilmRef2000 Steven Soderbergh Traffic Peter Howell, "Toronto critics like Lee; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon named top movie". Toronto Star, December 21, 2000. Ang Lee Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon2001 David Lynch Mulholland Drive "Memento named best picture". Calgary Herald, December 20, 2001. Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Jean-Pierre Jeunet Amélie2002 Paul Thomas Anderson Punch-Drunk Love "Toronto critics pick Adaptation as top film". Ottawa Citizen, December 20, 2022. Alfonso Cuarón Y Tu Mamá También Todd Haynes Far from Heaven2003 Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King "Coppola's Lost in Translation honoured by Toronto critics". Waterloo Region Record, December 18, 2003.2004 Michel Gondry Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind "Sideways named best film of 2004 by Toronto critics". Sault Star, December 17, 2004.2005 David Cronenberg A History of Violence "Cronenberg's History of Violence tops T.O. critics' best-of list". Sudbury Star, December 22, 2005.2006 Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne The Child (L'Enfant) Lee-Anne Goodman, "'The Queen' named best picture by Toronto's film critics". Canadian Press, December 20, 2006. Stephen Frears The Queen Paul Greengrass United 93 Martin Scorsese The Departed2007 Joel Coen and Ethan Coen No Country for Old Men Bruce Kirkland, "Old Men No. 1; Coen Brothers flick tops T.O. film critics' 2007 list". Toronto Sun, December 19, 2007. David Cronenberg Eastern Promises David Fincher Zodiac2008 Jonathan Demme Rachel Getting Married Chris Knight, "Toronto critics pick Wendy and Lucy". Windsor Star, December 17, 2008. Danny Boyle Slumdog Millionaire Andrew Stanton WALL-E2009 Kathryn Bigelow The Hurt Locker "Basterds, Hunger top Toronto critics' picks". Waterloo Region Record, December 17, 2009. Steve McQueen Hunger Quentin Tarantino Inglourious Basterds
2010s YearWinnerFilmRef2010 David Fincher The Social Network Peter Knegt, "“Social Network” Tops San Francisco and Toronto Film Critics’ Awards". IndieWire, December 14, 2010. Darren Aronofsky Black Swan Christopher Nolan Inception2011 Terrence Malick The Tree of Life Brian D. Johnson, "Toronto critics name 'Tree of Life' Best Picture". Maclean's, December 14, 2011. Michel Hazanavicius The Artist Nicolas Winding Refn Drive2012 Paul Thomas Anderson The Master Kathryn Bigelow Zero Dark Thirty Leos Carax Holy Motors2013 Alfonso Cuarón Gravity "Toronto film critics name Coen brothers movie the best of 2013". The Globe and Mail, December 17, 2013. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen Inside Llewyn Davis Steve McQueen 12 Years a Slave2014 Richard Linklater Boyhood Norman Wilner, "Toronto film critics champion Boyhood". Now, December 16, 2014. Paul Thomas Anderson Inherent Vice Wes Anderson The Grand Budapest Hotel2015 Todd Haynes Carol "'Carol' Named Best Picture by Toronto Film Critics Association". The Hollywood Reporter, December 14, 2015. Tom McCarthy Spotlight George Miller Mad Max: Fury Road2016 Maren Ade Toni Erdmann Damien Chazelle La La Land Barry Jenkins Moonlight2017 Greta Gerwig Lady Bird "'The Florida Project' Named Best Film by Toronto Film Critics". The Hollywood Reporter, December 10, 2017. Paul Thomas Anderson Phantom Thread Jordan Peele Get Out2018 Alfonso Cuarón Roma Corey Atad, "Toronto Film Critics Association Names ‘Roma’ Best Picture Of 2018". ET Canada, December 10, 2018. Lee Chang-dong Burning Paul Schrader First Reformed2019 Bong Joon-ho Parasite "'Parasite' big winner at Toronto Film Critics Association Awards". Toronto Star, December 8, 2019. Noah Baumbach Marriage Story Martin Scorsese The Irishman
2020s YearWinnerFilmRef2020 Chloé Zhao Nomadland Etan Vlessing, "Chloe Zhao's 'Nomadland' Named Best Picture by Toronto Film Critics Association". The Hollywood Reporter, February 7, 2021. Kelly Reichardt First Cow Lee Isaac Chung Minari2021 Jane Campion The Power of the Dog Sarah Curran, "Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ‘The Lost Daughter’ Wins Big At Toronto Film Critics Association Awards". ET Canada, January 16, 2022. Ryusuke Hamaguchi Drive My Car Denis Villeneuve Dune 2022 Charlotte Wells Aftersun Pat Mullen, "Toronto Film Critics Name All the Beauty and the Bloodshed Top Doc". Point of View, January 8, 2023. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert Everything Everywhere All at Once Sarah Polley Women Talking 2023 Jonathan Glazer The Zone of Interest Erik Anderson, "Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Awards: ‘The Zone of Interest’ Wins Best Picture, Director". AwardsWatch, December 17, 2023. Martin Scorsese Killers of the Flower Moon Justine Triet Anatomy of a Fall 2024 RaMell Ross Nickel Boys Sean Baker Anora Payal Kapadia All We Imagine as Light 2025 Paul Thomas Anderson One Battle After Another Matt Neglia, "The 2025 Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture, December 7, 2025. Ryan Coogler Sinners Oliver Laxe Sirāt
References
External links Toronto Film Critics Association - Past Award Winners