Kirby Dick, Malik Bendjelloul, Lauren Greenfield, David France and Alison Klayman have received documentary helmer nominations from the Directors Guild of America.
All five are first-time nominees by the DGA, while three — Dick (“The Invisible War”), Bendjelloul (“Searching for Sugar Man”) and France (“How To Survive a Plague”) — had their projects nominated for Oscars in documentary last week.
Greenfield was nommed for “The Queen of Versailles,” Klayman for “Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry.”
“Whether shining a light on sweeping injustice or bringing us along on an intimate journey, the best documentaries challenge and enlighten us, and this year’s nominees are no exception,” DGA prexy Taylor Hackford said. “The powerful work of these nominated directors is a true testament to the skill and significance of non-fiction storytellers.” Oscar-nominated directors who didn’t make the DGA cut were Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi (“5 Broken Cameras”) and Dror Moreh (“The Gatekeepers”).
The nominees will join the previously announced candidates for DGA honors at the guild’s kudofest Feb. 2 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland, with Kelsey Grammer hosting.
