Directors Guild of America President Michael Apted has announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2003.

Mr. Apted followed up the announcement by stating, "I offer my hearty congratulations to all the nominees for their outstanding achievements. A director has the responsibilities of shaping a story, creating a visual language, and bringing all elements of the filmmaking process together. These five individuals and their films clearly demonstrate how a director's skill, when combined with vision, can create excellence in filmmaking. I look forward to raising a glass in their honor on February 7th."

The nominees are (in alphabetical order):

SOFIA COPPOLA FOR LOST IN TRANSLATION
(Focus Features)


Ms. Coppola's Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Takahide Kawakami
Chief Assistant Director: Hiroya Igawa
Second Assistant Director: Taiichi Sugiyama
Second Second Assistant Directors: Motonobu Kato, Shu Fujimoto

This is Ms. Coppola's first DGA nomination.



CLINT EASTWOOD FOR MYSTIC RIVER
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Eastwood's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Timothy Alan Moore
First Assistant Director: Robert Lorenz
Second Assistant Director: Melissa Cummins Lorenz
Second Second Assistant Director: Katie Carroll

This is Mr. Eastwood's second nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for Unforgiven (1992).


PETER JACKSON FOR THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
(New Line Cinema)

Mr. Jackson's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Nikolas Korda, Zane Weiner
First Assistant Director: Carolynne Cunningham
Key Second Assistant Directors: Guy Campbell, Marc Ashton

This is Mr. Jackson's third nomination. Mr. Jackson has received two previous nominations for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).



GARY ROSS FOR SEABISCUIT
(Universal Pictures)

Mr. Ross's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Patricia Churchill
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Basil Grillo
Second Second Assistant Directors: Jeff Bilger, Kristina Peterson, Robert Skidmore
This is Mr. Ross's first nomination.



PETER WEIR FOR MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
(Twentieth Century Fox)
Mr. Weir's Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Todd Arnow
First Assistant Director: Alan B. Curtiss
Second Assistant Director: David Bernstein

Second Second Assistant Directors: Steven F. Beaupre, Tyler T. Romary, Susan Ransom

This is Mr. Weir's fourth nomination. He has received previous nominations for Witness (1985), Dead Poets Society (1989) and The Truman Show (1998).

The winner will be named at the 56th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, February 7, 2004, at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.