DGA Awards 2018: Oscar frontrunner emerges as virtue signals converge

The 70th Directors Guild of America Awards unfolded at the Beverly Hilton in early 2018, recognizing standout directorial work across features, television, documentaries, and commercials. The Beverly Hills gathering has long served as an early signal for the Oscars, with its feature winner carrying notable weight in Academy circles.

This Beverly Hills-based ceremony is typically a key indicator for the Academy Awards in March. After all, every winner of the feature film award in the last fourteen years has gone on to claim the corresponding Oscar, save Ben Affleck in 2012.

Guillermo del Toro claimed the top prize for his atmospheric period romance The Shape of Water, positioning him as the clear frontrunner heading into Oscar season. The shortlist included Greta Gerwig for Lady Bird, Christopher Nolan for Dunkirk, Jordan Peele for Get Out, and Martin McDonagh for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Long-Term DGA Predictive Accuracy

Analyses tracking recent decades show the DGA feature winner has aligned with the eventual Oscar recipient in 21 of the last 25 instances. That track record held steady after 2018 as well, reinforcing the guild's reputation as a reliable early marker rather than a perfect crystal ball.

Evolution of Inclusion Metrics in Feature Directing

DGA data later revealed measurable shifts in hiring patterns. Women directed 16 percent of covered feature releases between 2018 and 2022, up from 8 percent in the prior five-year stretch. Directors of color reached 17 percent during the same window, reflecting incremental movement without dramatic overnight change.

Speaking about his victory, del Toro declared, “We are living in a time that is tremendously difficult, and sometimes the best way to [celebrate] inclusion, and welcoming others rather than fearing them, is with a fable.”

Inclusion and diversity were very much the theme of the evening. DGA President Thomas Schlamme opened the ceremony by acknowledging a cry for justice: “[Men] must speak up. This is not just a fight by women for women. They didn’t create this problem. It’s a fight for everyone for a better world for everyone.” In his address, Schlamme also highlighted that while “changing culture won’t happen overnight . . . an important part of this effort is our continued decades-long fight to ensure the full and fair participation of women and people of color in the director’s chair.”

Judd Apatow used his remarks to spotlight the era's low numbers for women directors, contrasting recent successes like Lady Bird, Mudbound, and Wonder Woman against studio output such as The Emoji Movie.

Women Directors Statistics

Apatow referenced a roughly 5 percent share for women-directed features over the preceding decade. Later DGA tracking placed the figure at 16 percent for 2018-2022 releases, showing gradual movement beyond the period Apatow highlighted.

Despite such statistics, women won three of the television DGA categories, including Beth McCarthy-Miller of Veep for Comedy Directing, Reed Morano of The Handmaid’s Tale for Drama Directing, and Niki Caro of Anne with an E for Children’s-Program Directing.

Jordan Peele made history by earning nominations in both the Feature Director and First-Time Feature Director categories. Get Out actor Bradley Whitford noted the rarity of a debut director arriving with such a distinct voice across genre lines.

Subsequent Careers of Key 2018 Honorees

Del Toro continued building on the momentum with subsequent features that drew further awards attention. Peele moved into producing while directing additional high-profile projects, expanding the reach he first established with Get Out.

Peele added: “Directing Get Out was one of the greatest privileges, experiences, and responsibilities of my life. It was based on the notion that a cry for justice can come in many forms. I think the fact that this cry for justice has been heard is very much a step in the right direction.” For the full list of DGA winners, head over to Deadline.

The Shape of Water's Full Awards Haul

The film ultimately secured four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for del Toro, from a total of 13 nominations. That outcome confirmed the frontrunner status signaled by the DGA result months earlier.

The evening underscored how guild recognition can preview broader awards trajectories while also surfacing ongoing conversations about who gets to tell stories on screen.