LeoGlossary: Best Director (Academy Awards

The Academy Award for Best Director, officially known as the Academy Award of Merit for Directing, is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It honors a film director who has exhibited outstanding directing while working in the film industry. The award is traditionally presented by the previous year's Best Director winner.

The award was first given out at the 1st Academy Awards ceremony in 1929, when it was presented in two categories: Best Director for a Drama and Best Director for a Comedy. However, the two categories were merged into a single award for Best Director in 1930.

The Academy Award for Best Director is one of the most prestigious awards in the film industry. It is often considered to be one of the most difficult to win, as it requires the director to have demonstrated exceptional skill and artistry in all aspects of filmmaking, from storytelling to acting to technical execution.

Some of the most famous directors who have won the Academy Award for Best Director include:

• John Ford (4 wins)
• Steven Spielberg (3 wins)
• William Wyler (3 wins)
• Alfred Hitchcock (2 wins)
• Clint Eastwood (2 wins)
• Frank Capra (3 wins)
• Kathryn Bigelow (1 win)
• Chloé Zhao (1 win)
• Jane Campion (1 win)

The most recent winner of the Academy Award for Best Director is Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for their work on the 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once.

History

The Academy Award for Best Director is presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is one of the most prestigious awards in the film industry, recognizing outstanding achievement in directing.

The history of the Academy Award for Best Director dates back to the first Oscars ceremony, which took place on May 16, 1929. The award was among the original categories presented at that inaugural event. The first winner of the Best Director Oscar was Frank Borzage for his work on the film Seventh Heaven (1927) and Bad Girl (1931). Initially, the award honored directors for their work in a single year, regardless of the number of films they directed.

Over the years, the category has seen various changes and developments. In the early years, the award was sometimes split into two categories: one for comedy direction and one for dramatic direction. However, this practice was discontinued after the 7th Academy Awards in 1935.

Notable moments in the history of the Best Director category include Kathryn Bigelow becoming the first woman to win the award for her work on The Hurt Locker in 2009. Additionally, in 2017, Damien Chazelle became the youngest winner in the category for his direction of "La La Land."

The Best Director category has witnessed the recognition of many iconic filmmakers who have left an indelible mark on the history of cinema. Directors such as John Ford, Frank Capra, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese are among those who have received the prestigious honor.

The Academy Award for Best Director continues to be a highly anticipated and closely watched category during the annual Oscars ceremony, showcasing and celebrating the talent and artistry of directors in the film industry.

List of Academy Award Winners for Best Director

(# - did not win Best Picture)

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