Linda Mendoza Earns DGA Awards Nod for Directing “Wanda Sykes: Not Normal”

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Linda Mendozahas reason to celebrate…

The Mexican American film & television director has picked up a DGA Awards nomination from the Directors Guild of America.

Mendoza earned the nomination in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specialscategory for helming Wanda Sykes’ Netflixstand-up comedy special Wanda Sykes: Not Normal.

Winners in all categories, including the feature film nominees that were announced earlier this week, will be revealed on January 25 in a ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Los Angeles.

Here are the DGA Awards nominations for television:

DRAMATIC SERIES

NICOLE KASSELL
Watchmen, “It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice” (HBO)
Ms. Kassell’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Karen Wacker, Ron Schmidt, Joseph E. Iberti
First Assistant Director: Keri Bruno
Second Assistant Directors: Lisa Zugschwerdt, Ben White
Second Second Assistant Director: Jessie Sasser White

MARK MYLOD
Succession, “This Is Not For Tears” (HBO)
Mr. Mylod’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Tyson Bidner, Gabrielle Mahon
First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
Second Assistant Director: Michelle Flevotomas
Second Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte

DAVID NUTTER
Game of Thrones, “The Last of the Starks” (HBO)

MIGUEL SAPOCHNIK
Game of Thrones, “The Long Night” (HBO)

STEPHEN WILLIAMS
Watchmen, “This Extraordinary Being” (HBO)
Mr. Williams’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Karen Wacker, Ron Schmidt, Joseph E. Iberti
First Assistant Director: Kayse Goodell
Second Assistant Director: Ben White

COMEDY SERIES

DAN ATTIAS
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “It’s the Sixties, Man!” (Prime Video)
Mr. Attias’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Dhana Rivera Gilbert, Nadia Paine (Oklahoma Unit)
First Assistant Directors: Jesse Nye, Steve Love (Oklahoma Unit)
Second Assistant Directors: Natasha Rivera, Jason Inman (Oklahoma Unit)
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Meghan K. Wicker
Second Second Assistant Director: Lincoln Major
Location Managers: Amanda Burbank, Jose Guerrero, Nick Thomason

BILL HADER
Barry, “ronny/lily” (HBO)
Mr. Hader’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Aida Rodgers
First Assistant Director: Gavin Kleintop
Second Assistant Director: Kevin Zelman
Second Second Assistant Director: Heather Kehayas
Additional Second Assistant Director: Mikaela Mathern

DAVID MANDEL
Veep, “Veep” (HBO)
Mr. Mandel’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: David Hyman
First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
Second Assistant Director: Emily Hogan
Second Second Assistant Directors: Ismael Jimenez, Chalis Romero
Additional Second Assistant Directors: Phil Banks, Zach Davenport, Alexis Dvorak, Phil Goodrich, Christina Lee, Emily Neumann

AMY SHERMAN PALLADINO
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “It’s Comedy or Cabbage” (Prime Video)
Ms. Sherman Palladino’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Dhana Rivera Gilbert, Nadia Paine
First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
Second Assistant Director: Luca Waldman
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Meghan K. Wicker
Second Second Assistant Director: Lincoln Major
Location Managers: Amanda Burbank, Jose Guerrero, Nick Thomason,

DANIEL PALLADINO
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Marvelous Radio” (Prime Video)
Mr. Palladino’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Dhana Rivera Gilbert
First Assistant Director: Jesse Nye
Second Assistant Director: Natasha Rivera
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Meghan K. Wicker
Second Second Assistant Director: Lincoln Major
Location Managers: Amanda Burbank, Jose Guerrero, Nick Thomason

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS

JAMES BURROWS (‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’ – Directed by)ANDY FISHER (‘Live in Front of a Studio Audience’ – Directed by)Live in Front of a Studio Audience Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’ (ABC)
Directorial Team:

Associate Directors: Martin Pasetta Jr., Sara Niimi
Stage Managers: John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Harvey Levine, Doug Tobin, Richard Silva, Jenny Nolan Bailey

SPIKE JONZE
Aziz Ansari: Right Now (Netflix)
Mr. Jonze’s Directorial Team:

Associate Director: Chad Richard Nicholson
Stage Manager: Tate Nova

STAN LATHAN
Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (Netflix)
Mr. Lathan’s Directorial Team:

Associate Director: Myriam Leger
Stage Manager: Valdez Flagg

LINDA MENDOZA
Wanda Sykes: Not Normal (Netflix)
Ms. Mendoza’s Directorial Team:

Stage Manager: Arthur Lewis

GLENN WEISS
The 91st Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:

Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Eve Adair, Susan Kopensky, Lori Margules, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Sara Niimi, Michael Polito
Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Rita Cossette, John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Doug Fogel, Chris Hines, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Arthur Lewis, Roxanne Lozano, Ron Paul, Tammy Raab, Jason Seligman, Jackie Stathis, Cheryl Teetzel‑Moore, Debbie Williams, Ari Woog

Guillermo del Toro Named Best Director by the Directors Guild of America

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo del Toro is having a guild old time…

The Directors Guild of America honored outstanding achievement in directing for film and television at the DGA Awards, with the 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker ’s The Shape of Water winning the award for Best Feature.

Along with his Golden Globe and PGA award, del Toro’s DGA win makes him the favorite for Best Director at this year’s Oscars.

Here’s the full list of winners:

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM
GUILLERMO del TORO
The Shape of Water
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
Production Manager: Dennis Chapman
First Assistant Director: Pierre Henry
Second Assistant Director: Tyler Delben

DRAMATIC SERIES
REED MORANO
The Handmaid’s Tale, “Offred”
(Hulu)

MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI SERIES
JEAN MARC VALLÉE
Big Little Lies
(HBO)

COMMERCIALS
MARTIN de THURAH
(Epoch Films)

COMEDY SERIES
BETH MCCARTHY MILLER
Veep, “Chicklet”
(HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR
JORDAN PEELE
Get Out
(Universal Pictures)

DOCUMENTARY
MATTHEW HEINEMAN
City of Ghosts
(Amazon Studios)

REALITY PROGRAMS
BRIAN SMITH
MasterChef, “Vegas Deluxe & Oyster Shucks”
(FOX)

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS
GLENN WEISS
The 89th Annual Academy Awards
(ABC)

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING
DON ROY KING
Saturday Night Live, “Host: Jimmy Fallon”
(NBC)

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
NIKI CARO
Anne with an E, “Your Will Shall Decide Your Destiny”
(Netflix)

Guillermo del Toro Earns First-Ever DGA Awards Nomination

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special first for Guillermo del Toro…

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has announced its nominees for its 70th Annual DGA Awards in the feature film category, as well as for the category for first-time director, with the 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker earning his first nod.

In fact, along with del Toro, four of the five films in the marquee category are first-time DGA nominees: del Toro (The Shape of Water), Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missiouri) and Jordan Peele (Get Out).

The fifth director in the Feature Film race, Dunkirk‘s Christopher Nolan, is up for his fourth DGA Award.

The DGA award has always been an important bellwether in determining who will go on to win the corresponding directing Oscar. Since their inception in 1950 , the DGA Awards have only disagreed seven times with the ultimate Academy Award winner; the last time that happened was 2012, when Argo’s Ben Affleck failed to get nominated in Oscar’s Directing category.

Winners will be announced February 3 at the Beverly Hilton.

Here’s the nominees list for both categories:

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM

GUILLERMO del TORO
The Shape of Water
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
Production Manager: Dennis Chapman
First Assistant Director: Pierre Henry
Second Assistant Director: Tyler Delben

GRETA GERWIG
Lady Bird
(A24)
Unit Production Managers: Lila Yacoub, Danielle Blumstein, Jamin O’Brien (New York Crew)
First Assistant Directors: Jonas Spaccarotelli, Cedric Vara (New York Crew)
Second Assistant Director: Brendan Lee, Dana Zolli (New York Crew)
Second Second Assistant Directors: Lillian Awa, Teri Barber

MARTIN McDONAGH
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: Bergen Swanson
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Peggy Robinson
First Assistant Director: Peter Kohn
Second Assistant Director: Paula Case
Second Second Assistant Director: Spencer Taylor

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
Dunkirk
(Warner Bros.)
Unit Production Managers: David Witz, Christine Raspillere (France Unit), Chris Brock (UK Unit), Nicky Tüske (Netherlands Unit)
First Assistant Directors: Nilo Otero, William Pruss (France Unit), Willem Quarles van Ufford (Netherlands Unit)
Second Assistant Director: Eric Lasko, Nicolas Baldino (France Unit), Alexis Chelli (France Unit), Clément Comet (France Unit)
Second Second Assistant Director: Alina Gatti

JORDAN PEELE
Get Out
(Universal Pictures)
Unit Production Managers: Marcei A. Brown, Rick A. Osako (Fairhope Unit)
First Assistant Director: Gerard DiNardi
Second Assistant Directors: Ram Paul Silbey, Marc Newland (Fairhope Unit), Jack McKenna (New York Unit)
Second Second Assistant Director: Maggie Ballard
Location Manager: Kurt Enger (New York Unit)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR

GEREMY JASPER
Patti Cake$
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: Sara Blechman
First Assistant Director: Inna Braude
Second Assistant Director: Natasha Rivera
Second Second Assistant Director: Lucas Isabella
Additional Second Second Assistant Director: Alice Johnson

WILLIAM OLDROYD
Lady Macbeth
(Roadside Attractions)
Production Manager: Robert K. Harm
Unit Manager: Eugene Galbrath
First Assistant Director: George Every
Second Assistant Director: Richard Stanley Jan Harris

TAYLOR SHERIDAN
Wind River
(Acacia Entertainment)
Unit Production Manager: Christopher H. Warner
First Assistant Director: Nicholas Harvard
Second Assistant Director: Jason Altieri
Second Second Assistant Director: Kristina Massie

AARON SORKIN
Molly’s Game
(STX Entertainment)
Unit Production Managers: Lyn Lucibello-Brancatella, Stuart M. Besser, Michael Beugg (Los Angeles Unit)
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Bart Lipton (Los Angeles Unit)
First Assistant Director: Walter Gasparovic
Second Assistant Directors: Penny Charter, Travis Rehwaldt (New York Unit), Paula Case (Los Angeles Unit)
Second Second Assistant Directors: Conor Griff (New York Unit), Drew Ritson (New York Unit), Bryan Snodgrass (Los Angeles Unit)
Location Manager: Dena Ghieth (New York Unit)

González Iñárritu Wins Top Prize at the Directors Guild of America Awards

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro González Iñárritu is feeling peer pleasure…

The 51-year-old Mexican filmmaker took home the top prize for helming Birdman at the Directors Guild of America’s DGA Awards ceremony on Saturday.

González Iñárritu’s win furthers the dark comedy’s status as the Best Picture frontrunner for the Academy Awards coming in two weeks. Birdman also took home prizes at the Screen Actors Guild’s SAG Awards and the Producers Guild of America’s PGA Awards.

The winner of the Directors Guild award has gone on to win the Oscar for Best Director in all but seven years since the DGA Awards have been held.

Cuarón Takes Home Two Academy Awards for “Gravity”

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alfonso Cuarón has matching Oscars to place on his mantel…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker, a three-time nominee at this year’s Academy Awards, took home two prizes during the awards show.

Cuarón was named Best Director for helming the 3D space thriller, Gravity, making him the first Mexican to win the award in that category.

During his acceptance speech, Cuarón paid special tribute to the film’s star Sandra Bullock.

“Sandy, you are Gravity, you are the soul and heart of the film. You are an amazing collaborator and one of the best people I have ever met,” he said.

Moments after Cuarón’s name was read, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted: “Extraordinary work. Congratulations!”

Speaking backstage after collecting his Oscar, Cuarón said he hoped his win would help shine a light on the work of other Mexican filmmakers, and Mexican culture.

“I don’t think there is enough attention paid to Mexican culture and what is happening in Mexico,” Cuaron said.

Cuarón had been predicted to win the best director award, having swept the category in other awards ceremonies before Sunday’s Oscars, including the Directors Guild of America’s top prize.

In addition, Cuarón took home another award, winning the Best Film Editing Oscar alongside Mark Sanger for his hands-on work on Gravity.

Meanwhile, Gravity’s lenser Emmanuel Lubezki followed up his American Society of Cinematographers Award win with the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.

It was the Mexican cinematographer’s first win in six nominations. He previously earned nods for lensing 1995’s A Little Princess, 1999’s Sleepy Hollow, 2005’s A New World, 2006’s Children of Men and 2011’s The Tree of Life. three of Lubezki’s nominations were for his work on Cuarón films.

In all, Gravity was the night’s big winner, taking home seven awards.

But Cuarón and Lubezki weren’t the only Latinos to take home their first Oscars…

Jared Leto, a first-time nominee, took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his critically acclaimed performance as male-to-female transgender character Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club. It’s a role the 42-year-old part-Spanish American actor discusses in a featurette from the film’s distributor Focus Features.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s Oscar winners:

Best picture
12 Years a Slave

Best actor
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Best supporting actor
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best supporting actress
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Best director
Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

Best animated feature film
Frozen

Best foreign film
The Great Beauty

Best original screenplay
Her, Spike Jonze

Best adapted screenplay
12 Years a Slave, John Ridley

Best original score
Gravity

Best original song
Let It Go, from Frozen

Best cinematography
Gravity

Best costume design
The Great Gatsby

Best documentary feature
20 Feet From Stardom

Best documentary short subject
The Lady in Number 6

Best film editing
Gravity

Best makeup and hairstyling
Dallas Buyers Club

Best production design
The Great Gatsby

Best animated short film
Mr. Hublot

Best live-action short film
Helium

Best sound editing
Gravity

Best sound mixing
Gravity

Best visual effects
Gravity

Cuarón Wins Directors Guild of America Award for “Gravity”

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

The prizes just keep coming for Alfonso Cuarón…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker took home the top honor at the 66th annual Directors Guild of America Awards, held Saturday.

Cuarón, who won his first-ever Producers Guild of America Award last weekend, was announced as the final winner of the night for his critically acclaimed work helming the 3D sci-fi thriller Gravity.

He beat out Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), David O. Russell (American Hustle), Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips) and Martin Scorsese (Wolf of Wall Street) for the DGA Award.

During a special presentation to Cuarón, Gravity star Sandra Bullock made a few jokes about Cuaron’s thick accent during shooting, but then praised him for his bravery and imagination.

“You not only gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity but you gave it to me when I thought I had nothing left to offer as an actor,” she said.

Cuarón is now considered the frontrunner to take home the Oscar for Best Director at this year’s upcoming Academy Awards, where he’s up for three awards.

Cuarón Receives First-Ever Directors Guild Award Nomination

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special first for Alfonso Cuarón…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker has earned the first-ever Directors Guild Awards nomination of his career from the Directors Guild of America.

Cuarón, one of Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainers of the Year in 2013, earned the nod for his critically acclaimed 3D sci-fi thriller Gravity.

The talented director is up against Captain Phillips helmer Paul Greengrass, 12 Years a Slave‘s Steve McQueen, American Hustle’s David O. Russell and Martin Scorsese, who received his 11th DGA nom for his current film, The Wolf of Wall Street.

The nominees in the TV and commercials categories will be announced Thursday, while the documentary nominees are set to be unveiled Monday.

The winners will be announced at the 66th annual DGA Awards ceremony, taking place January 25 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Glee’s Jane Lynch is set to host.

“Life of Pi” Cinematographer Miranda Wins BAFTA Award…

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Claudio Miranda may have to look for another place to display his growing stash of awards…

The Chilean cinematographer, a favorite to win at this year’s Oscars, won the Best Cinematography gong at Sunday night’s BAFTA Awards, sponsored by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Miranda, who wasn’t present to pick up his award at London’s Royal Opera House, claimed the award for his work on Ang Lee’s Life of Pi.

It’s Miranda’s latest win this awards season, following his Critics’ Choice Award and New York Film Critics Online, among others.

Meanwhile, Malik Bendjelloul’s Searching for Sugar Man, the critically acclaimed documentary about Mexican American musician Sixto Rodriguez, won the BAFTA Award.

Earlier this month, Searching for Sugar Man picked up the DGA Award from the Directors Guild of America.

“Searching for Sugar Man” Earns Directors Guild Award

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Searching for Sugar Man has the momentum heading into the final Oscar stretch…

The critically acclaimed documentary about Mexican American musician Sixto Rodriguez, who has been dubbed “the greatest rock star who never was,” earned the film’s helmer Malik Bendjelloul his first DGA Award from the Directors Guild of America.

Bendjelloul picked up the award during the 65th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards dinner on Saturday night at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles.

It’s the latest award for Searching for Sugar Man, which is looking like an Oscar front-runner in its category. The film had previously won a Critics Choice award and Producers Guild of America award.

In addition, the film has resulted in what’s shaping up to be the comeback of the century, with the film’s subject Rodriguez now in high demand. He’s slated to perform at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and other music festivals this year.

“Searching for Sugar Man” Receives DGA Award Nomination

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Searching for Sugar Man continues to rock up the award nominations…

Malik Bendjelloul’s film about 70-year-old Mexican American singer Rodriguez has received a DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentaries by the Directors Guild of America.

The film, which earned an Academy Award nomination last week, tells the story of the folk musician who became a huge star in South Africa while remaining a virtual unknown in the United States, even in his hometown of Detroit.

Searching for Sugar Man will compete against Kirby Dick’s The Invisible War, Lauren Greenfield’s The Queen of Versailles, Alison Klayman’s Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry and David Frances’ How to Survive a Plague.

Winners will be announced on February 2nd at the 65th annual DGA Awards Dinner in Hollywood, in a ceremony hosted by Kelsey Grammer.

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