Best Director

ROBERTO BENIGNI

“Life Is Beautiful”

The beloved Italian comic filmmaker and actor receives his first best director nomination for his comedy-drama. Benigni, 45, also is up for a DGA Award for his movie, which won the grand jury prize last year at the Cannes Film Festival and is nominated for the foreign film Oscar. Benigni is also nominated for best actor and shares a writing nomination for original screenplay.

JOHN MADDEN

“Shakespeare in Love”

The British director, 49, garners his first Oscar nomination for his work on the charming romantic comedy. A DGA and Golden Globe nominee, the former theater director also made the acclaimed 1997 drama “Mrs. Brown” and the 1993 tragedy “Ethan Frome.”

TERRENCE MALICK

“The Thin Red Line”

The reclusive writer-director scores his first best director nomination for his adaptation of James Jones’ World War II novel. (His script for the film was also nominated for best screenplay adaptation.) “Red Line” marks the return of Malick after a 20-year absence from filmmaking. Malick, 55, who directed “Badlands” and “Days of Heaven,” received the New York Film Critics Circle honor for his direction and is nominated for a DGA Award.

STEVEN SPIELBERG

“Saving Private Ryan”

The incredibly successful director and producer receives his fifth Oscar nomination for directing for his World War II epic. The recipient of this year’s Golden Globe, Spielberg, 51, is nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award. Spielberg won the Oscar in this category for 1993’s “Schindler’s List.” He previously was nominated for best director for 1977’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” 1981’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and 1982’s “E.T.”

PETER WEIR

“The Truman Show”

The Australian director receives his third nomination in this category for his dark satire of the media. A Golden Globe and DGA nominee, Weir, 53, was previously nominated for best director for 1985’s “Witness” and 1989’s “Dead Poets Society.” He also received a screenplay nomination for 1990’s “Green Card.”