LOS ANGELES - The filmmakers behind a superhero saga, a street-orphan tale, two dramas about fallen politicians and the life story of a man aging backward are in the running for top honours from the Directors Guild of America.
Nominated for the guild's feature-film award are Danny Boyle for the rags-to-riches story "Slumdog Millionaire"; David Fincher for the whimsical romance "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; Ron Howard for the Richard Nixon drama "Frost/Nixon"; Christopher Nolan for the Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight"; and Gus Van Sant for the Harvey Milk biopic "Milk."
Among Hollywood's many honours on the buildup to the Academy Awards, the Directors Guild prizes have one of the best track records for predicting eventual Oscar winners. Only six times in the guild awards' 60-year history has the winner failed to take home the directing Oscar.
Nolan is the odd man out at the guild awards, the only contender who did not also receive an Oscar nomination. Boyle, Fincher, Howard and Van Sant all are nominated for the best-director Oscar, along with Stephen Daldry for the Holocaust-themed drama "The Reader."
While "Slumdog Millionaire" started as an underdog that nearly went straight to DVD, it has emerged as a potential Oscar favourite. Audiences have embraced Boyle's tale of a poor boy rising to fame and fortune from the streets of Mumbai, and the film triumphed at the Golden Globes and Producers Guild of America Awards, while taking the prize for best ensemble cast from the Screen Actors Guild.
Among awards presenters are Joel and Ethan Coen, who won the guild prize and the directing Oscar a year ago for "No Country for Old Men." Others scheduled to present awards include current Oscar nominees Sean Penn, Marisa Tomei, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams, Frank Langella, Viola Davis, Josh Brolin, Richard Jenkins and Michael Shannon.
Along with feature films, the Directors Guild hands out awards for achievements in documentary, commercials and TV programs including drama, comedy and daytime soap operas.
