Awards & Winners

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director

National Society of Film Critics Awards

The National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director is an annual award given by National Society of Film Critics to honor the best film director of the year. American director Martin Scorsese and Swedish director Ingmar Bergman won this award a record 3 times. Scorsese for 1976 Taxi Driver, 1980 Raging Bull and 1990 GoodFellas; Bergman for 1967 Persona, 1968 Skammen & Vargtimmen and 1970 En passion. François Truffaut, Luis Buñuel Portolés, Robert Altman, Steven Spielberg, Mike Leigh, Clint Eastwood, Terence Malick, and David Cronenberg each won the award twice.

Check all the winners of National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director presented under National Society of Film Critics Awards since 1966 .


Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Honored for : Inside Llewyn Davis

Nominations 2013 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ethan Coen Inside Llewyn Davis
Joel Coen Inside Llewyn Davis
Alfonso Cuarón Gravity
Steve McQueen 12 Years a Slave

Michael Haneke

Honored for : Amour

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michael Haneke Amour
Kathryn Bigelow Zero Dark Thirty
Paul Thomas Anderson The Master

Terrence Malick

Honored for : The Tree of Life

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martin Scorsese Hugo
Lars von Trier Melancholia
Terrence Malick The Tree of Life

David Fincher

Honored for : The Social Network

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Fincher The Social Network
Roman Polanski The Ghost Writer
Olivier Assayas Carlos

Kathryn Bigelow

Honored for : The Hurt Locker

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Wes Anderson Fantastic Mr. Fox
Olivier Assayas Summer Hours
Kathryn Bigelow The Hurt Locker

Mike Leigh

Honored for : Happy-Go-Lucky

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Danny Boyle Slumdog Millionaire
Mike Leigh Happy-Go-Lucky
Gus Van Sant Milk

Paul Thomas Anderson

Honored for : There Will Be Blood

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Paul Thomas Anderson There Will Be Blood
Julian Schnabel The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel Coen No Country for Old Men
Ethan Coen No Country for Old Men

Paul Greengrass

Honored for : United 93

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Guillermo del Toro Pan's Labyrinth
Martin Scorsese The Departed
Paul Greengrass United 93

David Cronenberg

Honored for : A History of Violence

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Cronenberg A History of Violence
Wong Kar-wai 2046
Bennett Miller Capote

Zhang Yimou

Honored for : House of Flying Daggers

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alexander Payne Sideways
Zhang Yimou House of Flying Daggers","Hero
Clint Eastwood Million Dollar Baby

Clint Eastwood

Honored for : Mystic River

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Clint Eastwood Mystic River
Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Sofia Coppola Lost in Translation

Roman Polanski

Honored for : The Pianist

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Roman Polanski The Pianist
Alfonso Cuarón Y Tu Mamá También
Pedro Almodóvar Talk to Her

Robert Altman

Honored for : Gosford Park

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Altman Gosford Park
David Lynch Mulholland Drive
Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Steven Soderbergh

Honored for : Traffic, Erin Brockovich

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Steven Soderbergh Erin Brockovich","Traffic
Ang Lee Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Edward Yang Yi Yi: A One and a Two

Mike Leigh

Honored for : Topsy Turvy

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Leigh Topsy Turvy
David O. Russell Three Kings
Sam Mendes American Beauty

Steven Soderbergh

Honored for : Out of Sight

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Steven Spielberg Saving Private Ryan
Steven Soderbergh Out of Sight
Terrence Malick The Thin Red Line

Curtis Hanson

Honored for : L.A. Confidential

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Curtis Hanson L.A. Confidential
Atom Egoyan The Sweet Hereafter
Paul Thomas Anderson Boogie Nights

Lars von Trier

Honored for : Breaking the Waves

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Leigh Secrets & Lies
Lars von Trier Breaking the Waves
Jim Jarmusch Dead Man

Mike Figgis

Honored for : Leaving Las Vegas

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Figgis Leaving Las Vegas
Todd Haynes Safe

Quentin Tarantino

Honored for : Pulp Fiction

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Krzysztof Kie?lowski Three Colors: Red
Quentin Tarantino Pulp Fiction
Louis Malle Vanya on 42nd Street

Steven Spielberg

Honored for : Schindler's List

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Steven Spielberg Schindler's List
Robert Altman Short Cuts
Jane Campion The Piano

Clint Eastwood

Honored for : Unforgiven

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Neil Jordan The Crying Game
Clint Eastwood Unforgiven
Robert Altman The Player

David Cronenberg

Honored for : Naked Lunch

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Cronenberg Naked Lunch
Jonathan Demme The Silence of the Lambs
Mike Leigh Life Is Sweet

Martin Scorsese

Honored for : Goodfellas

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stephen Frears The Grifters
Martin Scorsese Goodfellas
Jane Campion Sweetie

Gus Van Sant

Honored for : Drugstore Cowboy

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gus Van Sant Drugstore Cowboy
Paul Mazursky Enemies, A Love Story
Spike Lee Do the Right Thing

Philip Kaufman

Honored for : The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Philip Kaufman The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Chris Menges A World Apart
Wim Wenders Wings of Desire

John Boorman

Honored for : Hope and Glory

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Boorman Hope and Glory
John Huston The Dead
J?z? Itami Tampopo

David Lynch

Honored for : Blue Velvet

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Andrei Tarkovsky The Sacrifice
Oliver Stone Platoon","Salvador
David Lynch Blue Velvet

John Huston

Honored for : Prizzi's Honor

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Akira Kurosawa Ran
John Huston Prizzi's Honor

Robert Bresson

Honored for : L'Argent

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bertrand Tavernier A Sunday in the Country
Robert Bresson L'Argent

Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani

Honored for : The Night of the Shooting Stars

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Philip Kaufman The Right Stuff
Vittorio Taviani The Night of the Shooting Stars
Paolo Taviani The Night of the Shooting Stars
Ingmar Bergman Fanny and Alexander

Steven Spielberg

Honored for : E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sydney Pollack Tootsie
Jean-Jacques Beineix Diva
Francesco Rosi Three Brothers
Steven Spielberg E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Louis Malle

Honored for : Atlantic City

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sidney Lumet Prince of the City
Louis Malle Atlantic City
Héctor Babenco Pixote

Martin Scorsese

Honored for : Raging Bull

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martin Scorsese Raging Bull
Jean-Luc Godard Every Man for Himself
Jonathan Demme Melvin and Howard

Robert Benton

Honored for : Kramer vs. Kramer

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Yates Breaking Away
Robert Benton Kramer vs. Kramer
Woody Allen Manhattan

Woody Allen

Honored for : Manhattan

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Yates Breaking Away
Robert Benton Kramer vs. Kramer
Woody Allen Manhattan

Terrence Malick

Honored for : Days of Heaven

Nominations 1978 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bertrand Blier Get Out Your Handkerchiefs
Michael Cimino The Deer Hunter
Terrence Malick Days of Heaven

Luis Buñuel

Honored for : That Obscure Object of Desire

Nominations 1977 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Luis Buñuel That Obscure Object of Desire
Steven Spielberg Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Woody Allen Annie Hall

Martin Scorsese

Honored for : Taxi Driver

Nominations 1976 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martin Scorsese Taxi Driver
Alan J. Pakula All the President's Men
Éric Rohmer The Marquise of O

Robert Altman

Honored for : Nashville

Nominations 1975 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Altman Nashville

Francis Ford Coppola

Honored for : The Godfather Part II, The Conversation

Nominations 1974 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Francis Ford Coppola The Godfather Part II

François Truffaut

Honored for : Day for Night

Nominations 1973 »

Nominee Nominated Work
François Truffaut Day for Night

Luis Buñuel

Honored for : The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

Nominations 1972 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Luis Buñuel The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Francis Ford Coppola The Godfather
Jan Troell The Emigrants
Ingmar Bergman Cries and Whispers

Bernardo Bertolucci

Honored for : The Conformist

Nominations 1971 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stanley Kubrick A Clockwork Orange
Bernardo Bertolucci The Conformist
Éric Rohmer Claire's Knee

Ingmar Bergman

Honored for : The Passion of Anna

Nominations 1970 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ingmar Bergman The Passion of Anna
Luis Buñuel Tristana
François Truffaut The Wild Child
Bob Rafelson Five Easy Pieces
Robert Altman MASH

Ingmar Bergman

Honored for : Shame, Hour of the Wolf

Nominations 1968 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ingmar Bergman Shame","Hour of the Wolf

Ingmar Bergman

Honored for : Persona

Nominations 1967 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ingmar Bergman Persona

Michelangelo Antonioni

Honored for : Blowup

Nominations 1966 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michelangelo Antonioni Blowup