AceShowbiz -

Five critically acclaimed directors are ready to compete at the Directors Guild of America Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2011. On Monday, January 9, DGA announced the nominees for its 2012 award show. The five contenders are Woody Allen, David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, Alexander Payne and Michael Hazanavicius.

This year, Fincher scores his third DGA nomination for his work in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)", which is the adaptation of Stieg Larsson's best-selling crime thriller novel. Payne, meanwhile, is nominated for the second time, this time around for his work in the George Clooney-starring dramedy "The Descendants".

As for Hazanavicius, the French filmmaker gets his first nomination for directing the Hollywood silent drama "The Artist", which has received positive reviews from critics since it was first screened at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. He will also compete with Allen and Scorsese who directed "Midnight in Paris" and "Hugo" respectively.

Of the nominees, DGA president Taylor Hackford says, "The directors nominated this year for the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Award have each demonstrated an inspired command of the medium."

"The fact that their prodigious talents have been recognized by their peers is the highest honor a director can achieve," he continues. "I offer my most sincere congratulations to each of the nominees."

The DGA Awards has been known as a major barometer for the winner of the Best Director at the Academy Awards. Since 1948, there were only six times when the DGA winner did not win the Oscar for Best Director.

The winner for the 64th Annual DGA Awards will be announced at a gala that will be held on Saturday, January 28 at the Grand Ballroom of Hollywood and Highland. The show will be hosted by Kelsey Grammer.