What Is the Oscar for Best Director
The Academy Award for Best Director honors the filmmaker who directed a feature film nominated in the Best Picture category. It is one of the most prominent directing awards in the film industry.
How the Winner Is Chosen
Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences vote in a ranked-choice system. The director with the highest vote count wins, and results are certified by an independent accounting firm.
Notable Best Director Winners and Records
John Ford holds the record with four wins. Recent winners include Chloé Zhao for "Nomadland," and the Academy maintains an official list of past winners and nominees on its website oscars.org.
