The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has recently announced the nominees for the 76th annual DGA Awards, with notable directors Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan receiving nominations for their blockbuster films "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," respectively. The DGA nominated a total of five directors in the best feature film category, including Martin Scorsese for "Killers of the Flower Moon," Yorgos Lanthimos for "Poor Things," and Alexander Payne for "The Holdovers."

In a statement, DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter expressed admiration for the talented storytellers among the nominees, recognizing their ability to merge technical prowess with unique artistic visions that resonated with audiences worldwide. The nominations from the DGA are considered significant precursors to the Oscars, bringing attention to exceptional directors in the industry.

However, some notable directors were not included in this year's list of nominees, such as Jonathan Glazer ("The Zone of Interest"), Bradley Cooper ("Maestro"), Justine Triet ("Anatomy of a Fall"), and Celine Song ("Past Lives"). These contenders have generated buzz in the best director race but were noticeably absent from the DGA nominations.

Christopher Nolan, known for his visually stunning and narrative-driven films, recently won the Golden Globe for directing, triumphing over competition from Bradley Cooper, Greta Gerwig, Yorgos Lanthimos, Martin Scorsese, and Celine Song. Notably, the Golden Globes' voting body comprises journalists, while the DGA Awards and Academy Awards include industry professionals in their voting process, making each recognition unique.

In the category of first-time filmmakers, the DGA acknowledged Cord Jefferson for the literary satire "American Fiction," Manuela Martelli for the political thriller "Chile '76," Noora Niasari for her semi-autobiographical film "Shayda," A.V. Rockwell for the New York City-set "A Thousand and One," and Celine Song for "Past Lives."

Announcements for the nominations in the television category were made earlier, with HBO's critically acclaimed series "Succession" leading the pack with four nominations. Other top contenders include HBO's post-apocalyptic video game adaptation "The Last of Us," Apple's feel-good sports comedy "Ted Lasso," and Apple's 1950s-set miniseries "Lessons in Chemistry."

The winners of the 76th DGA Awards will be revealed on February 10th at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. It is an eagerly anticipated event where the industry recognizes and celebrates the exceptional talents behind the camera who bring stories to life on the big screen and television.