Which film did Steven Spielberg win his first Academy Award for Best Director?

Schindler's List, was based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a man who risked his life to save 1,100 Jews from the Holocaust. Schindler's List earned Spielberg his first Academy Award for Best Director (it also won Best Picture). With the film a huge success at the box office, Spielberg used the profits to set up the Shoah Foundation, a non-profit organization that archives filmed testimony of Holocaust survivors. In 1997, the American Film Institute listed it among the 10 Greatest American Films ever Made (#9) which moved up to (#8) when the list was remade in 2007.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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36 Comments

William Laughlin

Although he made many Oscar worthy films, for some reason, he never won until this film. The Color Purple, made 8 years earlier, received 11 nominations without single win. Hollywood couldn't snub him with Schindler's List; it was too good.

Barbara Toms

remember the little girl in the red coat.

George Oliver Prince

Probably the best director of our time

nancywriter

williamrlaughlin, My favorite movie by Speilberg is Raiders of the Lost Ark just for sheer entertainment. But Shindler's List and Munich are films that shed light on horrific chapters of history experienced by the Jewish people. I admire him for having the moral courage to tackle these subjects for humanity's sake

Richard D. Boyle

Spielberg has a greater quality body of work than any director in film history and yet, his career has been a series of travesties at the Oscars. The greatest travesty of them all was the best picture award to Shakespeare in Love, a fine film, over Saving Private Ryan, a great film and second only to Schindler’s List in Spielberg’s still growing list of magnificent films. It was like choosing a nifty and cute little Honda over a beautiful and perfectly engineered BMW or Rolls Royce.

Lorna Shipton

The film was amazing, and I couldn't help but cry at the end. The book, which I also read, is also amazing and well worth a read.

Sue Gembrini-Spataro

They couldn’t ignore his talent with this one.

Louis C. Manuel

A great movie. I hope to rent it again 😀

Cottec

He’s obviously pissed someone off in Hollywood. He makes great films.

Jan Taylor

Got it

Laurette Pearlman

He's never made a bad film

oh2bsailing

Thank you.

ninakamwene

No idea

Irene Townsend

Good Q and A thank you

Elizabeth Zakor

cbireland, it wasnt about that, its focus was how he helped save those desperate people

Kathleen B. Nicoletti

The image of the little girl in the red coat is haunting. Isn't it hard to believe the level of cruelty people inflict on their own species, let alone the horror of things that are also done to other sentient beings.