The DGC Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film is an annual Canadian award, presented by the Directors Guild of Canada to honour the year's best direction in feature films in Canada.
Winners and nominees
2000s Year Film Director Ref 2002 Rare Birds Sturla Gunnarsson Agnes Poirier, "Rare Birds soars at first annual Directors Guild of Canada awards". Screen Daily, October 8, 2002. A Nero Wolfe Mystery: "The Christmas Party" Holly Dale Sarah Kennedy, "Directors Guild unveils awards". The Globe and Mail, August 16, 2002. Queer as Folk: "French Fried" Jeremy Podeswa Twice in a Lifetime: "Moonshine Over Harlem" David Winning 2003 Spider David Cronenberg "Spider, Degrassi, Trudeau win at DGC". Playback, October 13, 2003. Ararat Atom Egoyan Distin Dinoff, "Spider, Queer as Folk top DGC nominations". Playback, August 18, 2003. Marion Bridge Wiebke von Carolsfeld Savage Messiah Mario Azzopardi 2004 The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions barbares) Denys Arcand D. E. Seguin, "Arcand's awards run continues with Directors Guild of Canada accolade". Screen Daily, October 3, 2004. The Blue Butterfly (Le papillon bleu) Léa Pool Mary Nersessian, "Arcand scores Directors Guild nods". The Globe and Mail, August 13, 2004. Falling Angels Scott Smith The Saddest Music in the World Guy Maddin 2005 Saint Ralph Michael McGowan "Saint Ralph, Lives of the Saints win DGC Awards". The Globe and Mail, October 4, 2005. Blood Jerry Ciccoritti Kerrin McNamara, "Two nods for Ciccoritti". Playback, August 15, 2005. The Confessor Lewin Webb Pure Jim Donovan 2006 A History of Violence David Cronenberg "David Cronenberg sweeps Directors Guild of Canada awards". CBC Arts, October 15, 2006. 3 Needles Thom Fitzgerald "ReGenesis, History of Violence lead DGC noms". Playback, August 21, 2006. Niagara Motel Gary Yates Where the Truth Lies Atom Egoyan 2007 Away from Her Sarah Polley "'Away From Her' takes best picture at Guild Awards". CTV News, September 30, 2007. Bon Cop, Bad Cop Érik Canuel "Bon Cop, Away From Her to vie for film directing honours". CBC Arts, August 13, 2007. Fido Andrew Currie Poor Boy's Game Clement Virgo 2008 Eastern Promises David Cronenberg "Cronenberg's Eastern Promises triumphs at directors guild awards". CBC Arts, November 9, 2008. Fugitive Pieces Jeremy Podeswa Etan Vlessing, "Cronenberg, Podeswa lead DGCs". Playback, August 11, 2008. My Winnipeg Guy Maddin The Stone Angel Kari Skogland 2009 Fifty Dead Men Walking Kari Skogland "'Flashpoint,' 'Passchendaele' big winners at Directors Guild bash". CTV News, October 26, 2009. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Patricia Rozema "Directors Guild announces nominees". The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2009. One Week Michael McGowan Passchendaele Paul Gross
2010s Year Film Director Ref 2010 Leslie, My Name Is Evil Reginald Harkema "Cairo Time, CBC big winners at directors' awards". CBC News, September 26, 2010. Chloe Atom Egoyan Craig Takeuchi, "Directors Guild of Canada Awards: Atom Egoyan's Chloe leads nominees". The Georgia Straight, July 8, 2010. Faith, Fraud, & Minimum Wage George Mihalka A Wake Penelope Buitenhuis 2011 Barney's Version Richard J. Lewis "Barney's Version, John A lead winners at Directors Guild Awards". CBC News, October 31, 2011. Gunless William Phillips "2011 Directors Guild of Canada Awards Nominees Announced". Canada NewsWire, August 15, 2011 Score: A Hockey Musical Michael McGowan Splice Vincenzo Natali 2012 A Dangerous Method David Cronenberg Etan Vlessing, "David Cronenberg's 'A Dangerous Method,' Jon Cassar's 'The Kennedys' Dominate Directors Guild of Canada Awards". The Hollywood Reporter, October 21, 2012. Goon Michael Dowse "Cronenberg's weighty 'A Dangerous Method' leads directors guild nominees". Canadian Press, July 12, 2012. The Samaritan David Weaver Take This Waltz Sarah Polley 2013 Still Mine Michael McGowan Linda Barnard, "Michael McGowan takes Directors Guild of Canada prize for Still Mine". Toronto Star, October 26, 2013. Home Again Sudz Sutherland Pat Mullen, "'Still Mine', 'Mama' Lead Directors Guild of Canada Nominations". Cinemablographer, July 11, 2013. Moving Day Mike Clattenburg Whitewash Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais 2014 The Grand Seduction Don McKellar "The Directors Guild of Canada Honours the Best in the Business at the 13th Annual DGC Awards". Canada NewsWire, October 25, 2014. Cas & Dylan Jason Priestley Julianna Cummins, "2014 DGC Award nominees announced". Playback, June 20, 2014. Empire of Dirt Peter Stebbings The F Word Michael Dowse 2015 Elephant Song Charles Binamé Jordan Pinto, "Book of Negroes, Mommy win top prizes at DGC Awards". Playback, October 25, 2015. The Calling Jason Stone Pat Mullen, "'The Calling' Leads Directors Guild of Canada Nominations". Cinemablographer, June 18, 2015. Fall Terrance Odette Preggoland Jacob Tierney 2016 Hyena Road Paul Gross Barry Hertz, "Paul Gross takes top film honours at Directors Guild of Canada Awards". The Globe and Mail, October 22, 2016. Born to Be Blue Robert Budreau Regan Reid, "DGC names nominees for 2016 awards". Playback, June 22, 2016. Remember Atom Egoyan The Saver Wiebke von Carolsfeld 2017 Weirdos Bruce McDonald Jordan Pinto, "Vikings, Mary Kills People win at DGC Awards". Playback, October 30, 2017. Awakening the Zodiac Jonathan Wright Greg David, "2017 Directors Guild of Canada awards nominees announced". TV, eh?, June 26, 2017. Mean Dreams Nathan Morlando Two Lovers and a Bear Kim Nguyen Undercover Grandpa Érik Canuel 2018 The Grizzlies Miranda de Pencier Etan Vlessing, "'The Shape of Water' Wins for Production Design at Directors Guild of Canada Awards". The Hollywood Reporter, October 21, 2018. Adventures in Public School Kyle Rideout Pat Mullen, "2018 Directors Guild of Canada Nominees for Documentary" . Point of View, September 20, 2018. Giant Little Ones Keith Behrman Mary Goes Round Molly McGlynn 2019 Mouthpiece Patricia Rozema "Directors Guild of Canada names best homegrown films and TV shows". Q, October 28, 2019. Stockholm Robert Budreau Firecrackers Jasmin Mozaffari Connie Thiessen, "Jasmin Mozaffari's Firecrackers leads DGC Award nominations". Broadcast Dialogue, September 12, 2019. Freaks Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein Red Snow Marie Clements
2020s Year Film Director Ref 2020 In the Tall Grass Vincenzo Natali Lauren Malyk, "Michelle Latimer, Vincenzo Natali among DGC film winners". Playback, October 28, 2020. Akilla's Escape Charles Officer "Directors Guild of Canada reveals feature, doc and short film nods". RealScreen, September 22, 2020. Our Own (Les Nôtres) Jeanne Leblanc Rustic Oracle Sonia Boileau Target Number One Daniel Roby 2021 Sugar Daddy Wendy Morgan Nick Krewen, "Directors Guild of Canada reveals feature, doc and short film winners". Playback, October 25, 2021. All My Puny Sorrows Michael McGowan Kelly Townsend, "All My Puny Sorrows leads film nominees for 2021 DGC Awards". Playback, September 24, 2021. Brother, I Cry Jessie Anthony Cinema of Sleep Jeffrey St. Jules Come True Anthony Scott Burns The Righteous Mark O'Brien 2022 Crimes of the Future David Cronenberg Angelica Babiera, "David Cronenberg, Charles Officer among DGC award winners". Playback, November 7, 2022. Delia's Gone Robert Budreau Etan Vlessing, "DGC Awards: 'Nightmare Alley,' 'Crimes of the Future,' 'Night Raiders' Lead Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter, September 23, 2022. Donkeyhead Agam Darshi Night Raiders Danis Goulet Run Woman Run Zoe Leigh Hopkins You Can Live Forever Sarah Watts, Mark Slutsky 2023 Women Talking Sarah Polley Connie Thiessen, "‘Women Talking’ leads winners at 22nd annual DGC Awards". Broadcast Dialogue, October 22, 2023. Brother Clement Virgo Taimur Sikander Mirza, "Women Talking leads film nominees for 2023 DGC Awards". Playback, September 20, 2023. Days of Happiness (Les Jours heureux) Chloé Robichaud Fitting In Molly McGlynn Infinity Pool Brandon Cronenberg 2024 The Queen of My Dreams Fawzia Mirza Alex Nino Gheciu, "‘Queen of My Dreams,’ ‘We Forgot to Break Up’ tie for top Directors Guild award". Brandon Sun, October 28, 2024. We Forgot to Break Up Karen Knox Code 8: Part II Jeff Chan Connie Thiessen, "Sweet Angel Baby leads DGC Awards’ film nominations". Broadcast Dialogue, September 20, 2024. Really Happy Someday J Stevens Village Keeper Karen Chapman 2025 Final Destination: Bloodlines Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein Jamie Casemore, "North of North claims five honours at 2025 DGC Awards". Playback, November 10, 2025. 40 Acres R. T. Thorne Connie Thiessen, "DGC unveils film, doc nominees; Discovery Award short list". Broadcast Dialogue, September 22, 2025. Nika and Madison Eva Thomas Rumours Guy Maddin Two Women (Deux femmes en or) Chloé Robichaud 2026 At the Place of Ghosts (Sk+te'kmujue'katik) Bretten Hannam Connie Thiessen, "2026 DGC Awards film nominees led by ‘Ready or Not 2’". Broadcast Dialogue, September 29, 2026. Bearded Girl Jody Wilson Finch & Midland Timothy Yeung Sweetness Emma Higgins Tight Lettuce Harrison Houde
References