Nominated  for Best Director

DANIEL KWAN & DANIEL SCHEINERT

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE  ALL AT ONCE

Kwan and Scheinert certainly deserve something for creating a story like this without their heads exploding. They’re the masters of the multiverse - but will they be the darlings of the Dolby Theatre?

Nominated for Best Director

Nominated for Best Director

MARTIN MCDONAGH

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

Will the Academy limit itself to giving McDonagh the Oscar for Best Screenplay, or will it go all the way and name him Best Director? He won a statuette for Best Live Action Short in 2006, but he keeps quiet about it.

Nominated for Best Director

Nominated for Best Director

RUBEN ÖSTLUND

TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

Östlund may be an unfamiliar name to many readers, but he’s certainly made his mark on the film industry: he has two Palme d’Or awards, after all. If the Swede wins, get ready for the most caustic of acceptance speeches.

Nominated for Best Director

Nominated for Best Director

STEVEN SPIELBERG

THE FABELMANS

Giving Spielberg the award for The Fablemans would feel like an insult to a whole host of masterpieces on his CV. You could be forgiven for thinking the 76-year-old has loads of Oscars already, but as a director he only has two. Two!

Nominated for Best Director

Nominated for Best Director

TODD FIELD

TÁR

In 21 years, he has made just the three movies. Assuming it’s not laziness, we can only conclude that he applies his talent with extreme care. It’s a shame he isn’t behind the camera more often.

Nominated for Best Director

The Best Film and Best Director awards have often gone to the same movie. Although that trend has changed in recent times, this year it looks like being a double for Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Nominees for Best Director