LOS ANGELES (AP) - "La La Land" director Damien Chazelle, "Moonlight" helmer Barry Jenkins and Kenneth Lonergan of "Manchester by the Sea" all scored their first nomination for a Directors Guild Award and further enhanced their chances of an Oscar nod.
The guild announced its nominees Thursday for outstanding directorial achievement for a feature film. They also included "Lion" director Garth Davis and Denis Villeneuve of "Arrival."
The award can be a formidable predictor of the eventual Oscar recipient. Nominations for those awards will be announced on Jan. 24.
Directors Guild nominations for best first feature included Nate Parker for "Birth of a Nation."
Winners for the 69th annual Directors Guild Awards will be announced in Los Angeles on Feb. 4.