The Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards, held on January 20, 2024, brought significant clarity to the Oscars race, as Anora took home the top prize, the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures. This victory solidified its position as a strong contender for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, following its earlier wins at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards and the Critics Choice Awards. Anora, distributed by Neon, continued its winning streak, further cementing its status as a frontrunner in this year’s awards season. Meanwhile, DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot gained momentum by winning the Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures award, while Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, which narrowly missed the Oscars shortlist, secured the PGA prize for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture.
On the television side, the ceremony celebrated a mix of familiar and rising stars. Hacks continued its domination by winning the Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy, building on its success from the Critics Choice Awards. Netflix’s Baby Reindeer claimed the David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television, enhancing its reputation as a compelling and well-crafted series. Other notable television winners included Saturday Night Live, which took home the award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television, and The Traitors, which won in the Game & Competition Series category. These wins not only highlighted the diversity of talent in television production but also underscored the growing influence of streaming platforms in the industry.
The PGA Awards have long been recognized as a reliable predictor of Academy Awards outcomes, particularly in the Best Picture category. Since the Academy expanded its Best Picture nominations from five to ten in 2009, the PGA’s nominations have consistently overlapped with Oscar nods, with an average of eight out of ten PGA nominees going on to receive Best Picture nominations. This year was no exception, as eight of the ten PGA film nominees also earned Best Picture Oscar nominations, including Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, The Substance, and Wicked. However, A Real Pain and September 5, both PGA nominees, missed out on Oscar recognition, making way for I’m Still Here and Nickel Boys to round out the Best Picture lineup. This alignment further reinforces the PGA Awards as a key indicator of Oscar success.
The ceremony also highlighted the challenges faced by the film and television industry in recent months. Devastating wildfires in Southern California led to delays in voting deadlines for both the PGA and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The PGA postponed its nominations from January 10 to the week of January 13, while the Oscars pushed their nomination announcement from January 17 to January 23. Despite these disruptions, the ceremony remained a celebration of excellence and resilience in the industry. Additionally, Searchlight Pictures stood out as the only studio to secure two nominations in the theatrical motion picture category, with A Real Pain and A Complete Unknown both making the list.
One of the recurring themes of the evening was a call to bring film and television production back to Los Angeles. PGA co-president Donald De Line emphasized this sentiment, stating, “The movies made Los Angeles, and it’s time to move the movies back.” This rallying cry resonated with many in attendance, though some attendees noted the irony of producers advocating for a return to Los Angeles while often being the ones who decide to shoot elsewhere. Nevertheless, the message served as a reminder of the cultural and economic importance of Los Angeles to the entertainment industry and the need to support local production.
The full list of PGA Awards winners showcased the breadth and diversity of talent across film and television. In addition to the major categories, winners included Shōgun for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama, The Greatest Night in Pop for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures, and STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television. The ceremony concluded with a sense of optimism and anticipation for the Oscars, as the industry looks to celebrate the year’s most outstanding achievements in film and television.
