In this article, we list the celebrated directors who were nominated for (and won) an Academy Award for movies made between 1990 and 2009.
Did your favourite directors miss out on an Oscar? Let us know in the comments below.
63rd Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1990
Nominated Directors
Barbet Schroeder – Reversal of Fortune
Francis Ford Coppola – The Godfather Part III
Kevin Costner – Dances with Wolves
Martin Scorsese – Goodfellas
Stephen Frears – The Grifters
Best Director Winner
Kevin Costner – Dances with Wolves
64th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1991
Nominated Directors
Barry Levinson – Bugsy
John Singleton – Boyz n the Hood
Jonathan Demme – The Silence of the Lambs
Oliver Stone – JFK
Ridley Scott – Thelma & Louise
Best Director Winner
Jonathan Demme – The Silence of the Lambs
65th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1992
Nominated Directors
Clint Eastwood – Unforgiven
James Ivory – Howards End
Neil Jordan – The Crying Game
Martin Brest – Scent of a Woman
Robert Altman – The Player
Best Director Winner
Clint Eastwood – Unforgiven
66th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1993
Nominated Directors
James Ivory – The Remains of the Day
Jane Campion – The Piano
Jim Sheridan – In the Name of the Father
Robert Altman
Steven Spielberg- Schindler’s List
Best Director Winner
Steven Spielberg- Schindler’s List
67th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1994
Nominated Directors
Krzysztof Kieślowski – Three Colours: Red
Robert Redford – Quiz Show
Robert Zemeckis – Forrest Gump
Quentin Tarantino – Pulp Fiction
Woody Allen – Bullets Over Broadway
Best Director Winner
Robert Zemeckis – Forrest Gump
68th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1995
Nominated Directors
Chris Noonan – Babe
Mel Gibson – Braveheart
Michael Radford – Il Postino: The Postman
Mike Figgis – Leaving Las Vegas
Tim Robbins – Dead Man Walking
Best Director Winner
Mel Gibson – Braveheart
69th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1996
Nominated Directors
Anthony Minghella – The English Patient
Joel Coen – Fargo
Mike Leigh – Secrets & Lies
Miloš Forman – The People vs. Larry Flynt
Scott Hicks – Shine
Best Director Winner
Anthony Minghella – The English Patient
70th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1997
Nominated Directors
Atom Egoyan – The Sweet Hereafter
Curtis Hanson – L.A. Confidential
Gus Van Sant – Good Will Hunting
James Cameron – Titanic
Peter Cattaneo – The Full Monty
Best Director Winner
James Cameron – Titanic
71st Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1998
Nominated Directors
John Madden – Shakespeare in Love
Peter Weir – The Truman Show
Roberto Benigni – Life is Beautiful
Steven Spielberg – Saving Private Ryan
Terrence Malick – The Thin Red Line
Best Director Winner
Steven Spielberg – Saving Private Ryan
72nd Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 1999
Nominated Directors
Lasse Hallström – The Cider House Rules
Michael Mann – The Insider
M. Night Shyamalan – The Sixth Sense
Sam Mendes – American Beauty
Spike Jonze – Being John Malkovich
Best Director Winner
Sam Mendes – American Beauty
73rd Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2000
Nominated Directors
Ang Lee – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ridley Scott – Gladiator
Stephen Daldry – Billy Elliot
Steven Soderbergh – Traffic / Erin Brockovich
Best Director Winner
Steven Soderbergh – Traffic
74th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2001
Nominated Directors
David Lynch – Mulholland Drive
Peter Jackson -The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Ridley Scott – Black Hawk Down
Robert Altman – Gosford Park
Ron Howard – A Beautiful Mind
Best Director Winner
Ron Howard – A Beautiful Mind
75th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2002
Nominated Directors
Martin Scorsese – Gangs of New York
Pedro Almodóvar – Talk to Her
Rob Marshall – Chicago
Roman Polanski – The Pianist
Stephen Daldty – The Hours
Best Director Winner
Roman Polanski – The Pianist
76th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2003
Nominated Directors
Clint Eastwood – Mystic River
Fernando Meirelles – City of God
Peter Jackson – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Peter Weir – Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Sofia Coppola – Lost in Translation
Best Director Winner
Peter Jackson – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
77th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2004
Nominated Directors
Alexander Payne – Sideways
Clint Eastwood – Million Dollar Baby
Martin Scorsese – The Aviator
Mike Leigh – Vera Drake
Taylor Hackford – Ray
Best Director Winner
Clint Eastwood – Million Dollar Baby
78th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2005
Nominated Directors
Ang Lee – Brokeback Mountain
Bennett Miller – Capote
George Clooney – Good Night, and Good Luck
Paul Haggis – Crash
Steven Spielberg – Munich
Best Director Winner
Ang Lee – Brokeback Mountain
79th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2006
Nominated Directors
Alejandro González Iñárritu – Babel
Clint Eastwood – Letters from Iwo Jima
Martin Scorsese – The Departed
Paul Greengrass – United 93
Stephen Frears – The Queen
Best Director Winner
Martin Scorsese – The Departed
80th Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2007
Nominated Directors
Jason Reitman – Juno
Joel and Ethan Coen – No Country for Old Men
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Paul Thomas Anderson – There Will Be Blood
Tony Gilroy – Michael Clayton
Best Director Winner
Joel and Ethan Coen – No Country for Old Men
81st Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2008
Nominated Directors
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Gus Van Sant – Milk
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
Best Director Winner
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
82nd Academy Awards
Best Director: Films of 2009
Nominated Directors
James Cameron – Avatar
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
Lee Daniels – Precious: Based on the
Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds
Best Director Winner
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
How many of these movies have you seen? Let us know in the comments below.