Directors Guild to ‘temporarily alter’ eligibility for 2021 day-and-date releases

The Directors Guild of America National Board at its recent meeting made the decision to temporarily alter its 2022 DGA Awards eligibility criteria for its Theatrical Film Award. The change will allow films that receive a ‘day and date’ release to be eligible for the award if they have a qualifying theatrical run and are marketed as a theatrical film. The National Board made this decision due to the unique and unusual circumstances facing the industry this year.

The exception is being made only for the upcoming 74th Annual DGA Awards. The Guild’s rule requiring an exclusive qualifying theatrical run remains in effect for the 75th Annual DGA Awards.

This change clearly impacts Warner Bros titles directly as their high-profile titles like Dune and King Richard, both set for awards success this season, are day and date releases that are hitting theaters and HBO Max simultaneously. Before this exception, Dune director Denis Villeneuve and King Richard director Reinaldo Marcus Green would not have been eligible for nominations.

Precise eligibility rules and entry forms will be released soon.

Theatrical Feature Film and First-Time Feature Film nominees will be announced on Thursday, January 27, 2022 and Television, Commercial, and Documentary nominees will be announced on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.

DGA members will be able to vote online between December 15, 2021 – January 26, 2022 for Theatrical Feature Film Nominations; between December 15, 2021 – January 21, 2022 for Television Nominations in five categories; and between January 27, 2022 – March 11, 2022 for the Theatrical Feature Film Award. All voting will continue to take place online.

The 74th Annual DGA Awards will take place on Saturday, March 12, 2022.