6 Best DGA Award-Winning Directors' Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 1, 2026

The Directors Guild of America Award is a strong sign of directing excellence, and the films here show why. Parasite tops this list, Roma and The Shape of Water bring very different looks, and Gravity strands two astronauts after debris destroys their shuttle. Saving Private Ryan and The Hurt Locker show the technical side of war, in a lineup where you can feel the director’s hand on every frame.

Parasite (2019)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 99% Metacritic 97

A poor family schemes its way into the lives of a wealthy household, with unforeseen consequences.

Directed by Bong Joon Ho · 2h 13m · Rated R

Won 4 Oscars309 wins & 261 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Roma (2018)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 96% Metacritic 96

A black-and-white memory piece about the domestic worker who raised Cuaron's own family.

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón · 2h 15m · Rated R

Won 3 Oscars256 wins & 230 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Shape of Water (2017)

IMDb ★ 7.3 RT 92% Metacritic 87

A mute janitor falls for a captive amphibious creature in a Cold War-era research facility.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro · 2h 03m · Rated R

Won 4 Oscars138 wins & 350 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Gravity (2013)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 96% Metacritic 96

An astronaut stranded after a debris strike has to find her own way back to Earth alone.

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón · 1h 31m · Rated PG-13

Won 7 Oscars242 wins & 189 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Hurt Locker (2008)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A bomb-disposal soldier's addiction to danger makes him both brilliant and reckless in the field.

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow · 2h 11m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 94% Metacritic 91

A squad of soldiers is sent behind enemy lines to bring home a paratrooper whose brothers have all been killed.

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 2h 49m · Rated R

Won 5 Oscars79 wins & 75 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Peacock Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best DGA Award-Winning Directors' Movies

Parasite (2019)

Roma (2018)

The Shape of Water (2017)

Gravity (2013)

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

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