Joel, Ethan Coen win Directors Guild of America award for 'No Country For Old Men'

Just in from the Hollywood Reporter:

The directing team of Joel and Ethan Coen won the DGA Award for feature film directing Saturday for their edgy thriller “No Country for Old Men.”

The Coens picked up their award medallion at the DGA Awards 60th anniversary gala, held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza and attended by about 1,500 guild members and other guests. “No Country”— an adapation of the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name — is a co-production of distributor Miramax and Paramount Vantage.

The Coens also figure among nominees in Oscar’s directing category, and “No Country” is among the Academy Award nominees for best picture. The DGA award for feature film is often a good indicator of who will win the best directing Oscar and also a predictor of Oscar’s best picture.

Other nominees in the DGA’s feature film category this year included Tony Gilroy for “Michael Clayton,” Julian Schnabel for “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “There Will Be Blood” and Sean Penn for “Into the Wild.”

A complete list of winners follows.

DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“No Country for Old Men”
(Miramax Films and Paramount Vantage)

The Coens’ Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Robert J. Graf
First Assistant Director: Betsy Magruder
Second Assistant Director: Bac DeLorme
Second Second Assistant Director: Jai James

This is Mr. Joel Coen’s and Mr. Ethan Coen’s first DGA Award. Joel Coen was previously nominated for Fargo (1996).

DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES FOR TELEVISION
Yves Simoneau
“Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”
(HBO)

Mr. Simoneau’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager * US: Chrisann Verges
First Assistant Director * US: Cas Donovan
Second Assistant Director * US: Adam Martin

This is Mr. Simoneau’s first DGA Award.

DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMATIC SERIES NIGHT
Alan Taylor
“Mad Men” — “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Pilot)”
(AMC)

Mr. Taylor’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Scott Hornbacher
First Assistant Director: Mark McGann
Second Assistant Director: Maggie Murphy
Second Second Assistant Director: John Silvestri
Second Assistant Director/Location Manager: April Taylor

This is Mr. Taylor’s first DGA Award.

DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY SERIES
Barry Sonnenfeld
“Pushing Daisies” — “Pie-lette”
(ABC)

Mr. Sonnenfeld’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Gabriela Vazquez
First Assistant Director: Chris Soldo
Second Assistant Director: Greg Hale
Second Second Assistant Director: Renee Hill-Sweet

This is Mr. Sonnenfeld’s first DGA Award.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSICAL VARIETY
Glenn P. Weiss
“The 61st Annual Tony Awards”
(CBS)

Mr. Weiss’ Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Gregg M. Gelfand, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Ken Diego, Ricky Kirshner
Stage Managers: Garry W. Hood, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Lynn Finkel, Doug Fogel, Jeffrey Gitter, Dean Gordon, Arthur Lewis, Tony Mirante, Jeff Pearl, Rose Riggins, Lauren Class Schneider

This is Mr. Weiss’ first DGA Award. He was previously nominated in 2006 for The 60th Annual Tony Awards, in 2005 for The 59th Annual Tony Awards, in 2002 for The 56th Annual Tony Awards, and in 2001 for The 55th Annual Tony Awards.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN REALITY PROGRAMS
Bertram Van Munster
“The Amazing Race” (Episode No. 1110)
(CBS)
Mr. Van Munster’s Directorial Team:
Segment Director: Evan Weinstein

This is Mr. Van Munster’s first DGA Award. He was previously nominated for The Amazing Race Episode No. 102” in 2006 and for “Episode No. 805” in 2005.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DAYTIME SERIALS
Larry Carpenter
“One Life to Live” — “Episode No. 9947”
(ABC)

Mr. Carpenter’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Teresa Anne Cicala
Stage Managers: Alan P. Needleman, Keith Greer
Production Associate: Anthony Wilkinson

This is Mr. Carpenter’s second DGA Award. He won the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials for “One Life to Live” for Episode No. 8849 in 2003 and was also nominated for that series for “Episode No. 9686 in 2006, Episode? No. 9385 in 2005 and Episode No. 8655 in 2002.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
Paul Hoen
“Jump In”
(Disney Channel)

This is Mr. Hoen’s first DGA Award. He was previously nominated in this same category for “Searching for David’s Heart” in 2004 and the “Even Stevens” episode “Take My Sister … Please” in 2000.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMMERCIALS
Nicolai Fuglsig
Production Company MJZ UK

Tipping Point, Guinness - BBDO
It’s Magic, JC Penney - Saachi & Saachi NY
First Assistant Director: Thomas Smith
Second Assistant Director: Kate Greenberg

Journey, Motorola - AMV BBDO

This is Mr. Fuglsig’s first DGA Award.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DOCUMENTARY
Asger Leth
“Ghosts of Cite Soleil”
Sony BMG Feature Films

This is Mr. Leth’s first DGA Award.

2008 DGA SERVICE AND CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Jay D. Roth — DGA Honorary Life Membership Award
Given in Recognition of Service to the Directors Guild of America and Outstanding Creative Achievement.

Liz Ryan — Frank Capra Achievement Award
For an Assistant Director or Unit Production Manager in Recognition of Career Achievement in the Industry and Service to the Directors Guild of America.

Barbara J. Roche — Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award
For an Associate Director or Stage Manager in Recognition of Career Achievement in the Industry and Service to the Directors Guild of America.