# Ariel Award for Best Director

The Ariel Award for Best Director (Premio Ariel a la Mejor Dirección, officially known as the Ariel Award for Best Directing) is an award presented by the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas (AMACC) in Mexico. It is given in honor of a film director who has exhibited outstanding directing while working in the Mexican film industry. In 1947, the 1st and 2nd Ariel Awards were held, with Roberto Gavaldón and Emilio "El Indio" Fernández winning for the films La Barraca and Enamorada, respectively. With the exception of the years 1959 to 1971, when the Ariel Awards were suspended, the award has been given annually. Nominees and winners are determined by a committee formed every year consisting of academy members (active and honorary), previous winners and individuals with at least two Ariel nominations; the committee members submit their votes through the official AMACC website.
In 1953, filmmakers Luis Buñuel, Alfredo B. Crevenna and Gavaldón were nominated, but no winner was declared. Carlos Carrera and Fernández hold the record for most wins in the category, with four each. Carerra's El Crimen del Padre Amaro was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2003. Since 1976, Felipe Cazals has been nominated at least once every decade, winning three times for El Año de la Peste (1980), Bajo la metralla (1984), and Las Vueltas del Citrillo (2006). Buñuel and Amat Escalante won the Ariel for Best Director and the same award at the Cannes Film Festival for Los Olvidados and Heli, respectively. Alfonso Cuarón won the Ariel and the Academy Award for Best Direction, Cuarón is the first one to win both accolades for the same film. Since its inception, the award has been given to 40 directors. As of the 2024 ceremony, Lila Avilés is the most recent winner in this category for her work on Tótem.

## Winners and nominees

Table key :
| ‡ | Indicates the winner |
| Year | Director(s) | Film | Ref. |
| 1947 (1st) | Roberto Gavaldón‡ | La Barraca | |
| 1947 (1st) | Julio Bracho | Crepúsculo | |
| 1947 (1st) | Emilio "El Indio" Fernández | Las Abandonadas | |
| 1947 (2nd) | Emilio "El Indio" Fernández‡ | Enamorada | |
| 1947 (2nd) | Julio Bracho | Cantaclaro | |
| 1947 (2nd) | Roberto Gavaldón | La Otra | |
| 1948 (3rd) | Emilio "El Indio" Fernández‡ | La Perla | |
| 1948 (3rd) | Antonio Momplet | El Buen Mozo | |
| 1948 (3rd) | Miguel Zacarías | Soledad | |
| 1949 (4th) | Emilio "El Indio" Fernández‡ | Río Escondido | |
| 1949 (4th) | Julio Bracho | Rosenda | |
| 1949 (4th) | Ismael Rodríguez | Los Tres Huastecos | |
| 1950 (5th) | Alejandro Galindo‡ | Una Familia de Tantas | |
| 1950 (5th) | Emilio "El Indio" Fernández | Pueblerina | |
| 1950 (5th) | Miguel Zacarías | El Dolor de los Hijos | |
| 1951 (6th) | Luis Buñuel‡ | Los Olvidados | |
| 1951 (6th) | Alfredo B. Crevenna | Otra Primavera | |
| 1951 (6th) | Roberto Gavaldón | La Casa Chica | |
| 1952 (7th) | Roberto Gavaldón‡ | En La Palma de Tu Mano | |
| 1952 (7th) | Julio Bracho | Paraíso Robado | |
| 1952 (7th) | Alejandro Galindo | Doña Perfecta | |
| 1953 (8th) | Luis Buñuel | Subida al Cielo | |
| 1953 (8th) | Alfredo B. Crevenna | Mi Esposa y la Otra | |
| 1953 (8th) | Roberto Gavaldón | El Rebozo de Soledad | |
| 1954 (9th) | Roberto Gavaldón‡ | El Niño y la Niebla | |
| 1954 (9th) | Emilio Gómez Muriel | Un Divorcio | |
| 1954 (9th) | Ismael Rodríguez | Pepe El Toro | |
| 1955 (10th) | Alejandro Galindo‡ | Los Fernández de Peralvillo | |
| 1955 (10th) | Alfredo B. Crevenna | Orquídeas Para Mi Esposa | |
| 1955 (10th) | Roberto Gavaldón | Sombra Verde | |
| 1956 (11th) | Luis Buñuel‡ | Robinson Crusoe | |
| 1956 (11th) | Luis Buñuel | Ensayo de un Crimen | |
| 1956 (11th) | Alfredo B. Crevenna | Una Mujer en la Calle | |
| 1957 (12th) | Alfonso Corona Blake‡ | El Camino de la Vida | |
| 1957 (12th) | Roberto Gavaldón | La Escondida | |
| 1957 (12th) | Emilio Gómez Muriel | ¿Con Quién Andan Nuestras Hijas? | |
| 1958 (13th) | Tito Davison‡ | La Dulce Enemiga | |
| 1958 (13th) | Tulio Demicheli | Feliz Año, Amor Mío | |
| 1958 (13th) | Rogelio A. González | La Culta Dama | |
| 1959—1971 | Not awarded | Not awarded | |
| 1972 (14th) | Jorge Fons‡ | "Nosotros" (episode from Tú, Yo, Nosotros) | |
| 1972 (14th) | Alfonso Arau | El Águila Descalza | |
| 1972 (14th) | Salomón Láiter | La Puerta del Paraíso | |
| 1973 (15th) | Luis Alcoriza‡ | Mecánica Nacional | |
| 1973 (15th) | Paul Leduc | Reed, México Insurgente | |
| 1973 (15th) | Arturo Ripstein | El Castillo de la Pureza | |
| 1974 (16th) | Gonzalo Martínez Ortega‡ | El Principio | |
| 1974 (16th) | Jorge Fons | "Caridad" (episode from Fé, Esperanza y Caridad) | |
| 1974 (16th) | Alfredo Joskowicz | El Cambio | |
| 1975 (17th) | Emilio "El Indio" Fernández‡ | La Choca | |
| 1975 (17th) | Luis Alcoriza | Presagio | |
| 1975 (17th) | Juan Manuel Torres | La Otra Virginidad | |
| 1976 (18th) | Miguel Littín‡ | Actas de Marusia | |
| 1976 (18th) | Felipe Cazals | Canoa | |
| 1976 (18th) | Marcela Fernández Violante | De Todos Modos Juan Te Llamas | |
| 1977 (19th) | Jaime Humberto Hermosillo‡ | La Pasión Según Berenice | |
| 1977 (19th) | Alberto Isaac | Cuartelazo | |
| 1977 (19th) | Gonzalo Martínez Ortega | Longitud de Guerra | |
| 1978 (20th) | Jaime Humberto Hermosillo‡ | Naufragio | |
| 1978 (20th) | Julián Pastor | Los Pequeños Privilegios | |
| 1978 (20th) | Arturo Ripstein | En el Lugar Sin Limites | |
| 1979 (21st) | Arturo Ripstein‡ | Cadena Perpetua | |
| 1979 (21st) | Jaime Humberto Hermosillo | Amor Libre | |
| 1979 (21st) | Miguel Littín | El Recurso del Método | |
| 1980 (22nd) | Felipe Cazals‡ | El Año de la Peste | |
| 1980 (22nd) | Raúl Araiza | Fuego en el Mar | |
| 1980 (22nd) | Sergio Olhovich | El Infierno de Todos Tan Temido | |
| 1981 (23rd) | Servando González‡ | Las Grandes Aguas | |
| 1981 (23rd) | Marcela Fernández Violante | Misterio | |
| 1981 (23rd) | Julián Pastor | Morir de Madrugada | |
| 1982 (24th) | Raúl Kamffer‡ | ¡Ora Si Tenemos Que Ganar! | |
| 1982 (24th) | Alfredo Gurrola | Llámenme Mike | |
| 1982 (24th) | Mario Hernández | Noche de Carnaval | |
| 1983 (25th) | José Estrada‡ | La Pachanga | |
| 1983 (25th) | Alberto Isaac | Tiempo de Lobos | |
| 1983 (25th) | Alfredo Gurrola | Días de Combate | |
| 1984 (26th) | Felipe Cazals‡ | Bajo la Metralla | |
| 1984 (26th) | Arturo Ripstein | La Viuda Negra | |
| 1984 (26th) | Ariel Zúñiga | El Diablo y la Dama | |
| 1985 (27th) | Paul Leduc‡ | Frida | |
| 1985 (27th) | Juan Antonio de la Riva | Vidas Errantes | |
| 1985 (27th) | Gerardo Pardo | De Veras Me Atrapaste | |
| 1986 (28th) | Carlos Enrique Taboada‡ | Veneno Para Las Hadas | |
| 1986 (28th) | Felipe Cazals | Los Motivos de Luz | |
| 1986 (28th) | Alfredo Gurrola | El Escuadrón de la Muerte | |
| 1987 (29th) | Arturo Ripstein‡ | El Imperio de la Fortuna | |
| 1987 (29th) | Alberto Cortés | Amor a la Vuelta de la Esquina | |
| 1987 (29th) | Diego López Rivera | Crónica de Familia | |
| 1988 (30th) | Alberto Isaac‡ | Mariana, Mariana | |
| 1988 (30th) | Luis Alcoriza | Lo Que Importa es Vivir | |
| 1988 (30th) | Alejandro Pelayo Rangel | Días Dificiles | |
| 1989 (31st) | Sergio Olhovich‡ | Esperanza | |
| 1989 (31st) | Juan Fernando Pérez Gavilán | ¿Nos Traicionará el Presidente? | |
| 1989 (31st) | Sergio Véjar | La Jaula de Oro | |
| 1990 (32nd) | Diego López Rivera‡ | Goitia, Un Dios Para Sí Mismo | |
| 1990 (32nd) | Gilberto Gazcón de Anda | Rosa de Dos Aromas | |
| 1990 (32nd) | Alfonso Rosas Priego | El Homicida | |
| 1991 (33rd) | Jorge Fons‡ | Rojo Amanecer | |
| 1991 (33rd) | Juan Antonio de la Riva | Pueblo de Madera | |
| 1992 (34th) | Alfonso Arau‡ | Como Agua Para Chocolate | |
| 1992 (34th) | Carlos Carrera | La Mujer de Benjamín | |
| 1992 (34th) | Maria Novaro | Danzón | |
| 1993 (35th) | Guillermo del Toro‡ | Cronos | |
| 1993 (35th) | Rubén Gámez | Tequila | |
| 1993 (35th) | Dana Rotberg | Ángel de Fuego | |
| 1994 (36th) | José Luis García Agraz‡ | Desiertos Mares | |
| 1994 (36th) | Francisco Athié | Lolo | |
| 1994 (36th) | Carlos Carrera | La Vida Conyugal | |
| 1994 (36th) | Felipe Cazals | Kino | |
| 1994 (36th) | Guita Schyfter | Novia Que Te Vea | |
| 1995 (37th) | Jorge Fons‡ | El Callejón de los Milagros | |
| 1995 (37th) | Maria Novaro | El Jardín del Edén | |
| 1995 (37th) | Gabriel Retes | Bienvenido — Welcome | |
| 1995 (37th) | Fernando Sariñana | Hasta Morir | |
| 1995 (37th) | Roberto Sneider | Dos Crimenes | |
| 1996 (38th) | Carlos Carrera‡ | Sin Remitente | |
| 1996 (38th) | Oscar Blancarte | Dulces Compañías | |
| 1996 (38th) | José Luis García Agraz | Salón México | |
| 1996 (38th) | Daniel Gruener | Sobrenatural | |
| 1996 (38th) | Alberto Isaac | Mujeres Insumisas | |
| 1997 (39th) | Rafael Montero‡ | Cilantro y Perejil | |
| 1997 (39th) | Benjamín Cann | De Muerte Natural | |
| 1997 (39th) | Marco Julio Linares | Juego Limpio | |
| 1998 (40th) | Juan Pablo Villaseñor‡ | Por Si No Te Vuelvo a Ver | |
| 1998 (40th) | Juan Antonio de la Riva | Elisa Antes del Fin del Mundo | |
| 1998 (40th) | Jaime Humberto Hermosillo | De Noche Vienes, Esmeralda | |
| 1999 (41st) | Carlos Carrera‡ | Un Embrujo | |
| 1999 (41st) | Carlos Bolado | Bajo California, el Limite del Tiempo | |
| 1999 (41st) | Arturo Ripstein | El Evangelio de las Maravillas | |
| 2000 (42nd) | Luis Estrada‡ | La Ley de Herodes | |
| 2000 (42nd) | Juan Carlos Rulfo | Del Olvido al No Me Acuerdo | |
| 2000 (42nd) | Oscar Urritua Lazo | Rito Terminal | |
| 2001 (43rd) | Alejandro González Iñárritu‡ | Amores Perros | |
| 2001 (43rd) | Felipe Cazals | Su Alteza Serenísima | |
| 2001 (43rd) | Maryse Sistach | Perfume de Violetas (Nadie te Oye) | |
| 2002 (44th) | Ignacio Ortíz Cruz‡ | Cuento de Hadas Para Dormir Cocodrilos | |
| 2002 (44th) | Juan Antonio de la Riva | El Gavilán de la Sierra | |
| 2002 (44th) | Gerardo Tort | De la Calle | |
| 2003 (45th) | Carlos Carrera‡ | El Crimen del Padre Amaro | |
| 2003 (45th) | Jaime Humberto Hermosillo | eXXXorcismos | |
| 2003 (45th) | Isaac P. Racine | Aro Tolbukhin: En la Mente del Asesino | |
| 2003 (45th) | Agustí Villaronga | Aro Tolbukhin: En la Mente del Asesino | |
| 2003 (45th) | Lydia Zimmermann | Aro Tolbukhin: En la Mente del Asesino | |
| 2004 (46th) | José Luis García Agraz‡ | El Misterio del Trinidad | |
| 2004 (46th) | Carlos Reygadas | Japón | |
| 2004 (46th) | Julián Hernández | Mil Nubes de Paz Cercan el Cielo, Amor, Jamás Acabarás de Ser Amor | |
| 2005 (47th) | Fernando Eimbcke‡ | Temporada de Patos | |
| 2005 (47th) | José Buil | Manos Libres (Nadie te Habla) | |
| 2005 (47th) | Luis Mandoki | Voces Inocentes | |
| 2006 (48th) | Felipe Cazals‡ | Las Vueltas del Citrillo | [53] [54] |
| 2006 (48th) | Ignacio Ortíz Cruz | Mezcal | [53] [54] |
| 2006 (48th) | Ricardo Benet | Noticias Lejanas | [53] [54] |
| 2007 (49th) | Guillermo del Toro‡ | El Laberinto del Fauno | |
| 2007 (49th) | Sebastián Cordero | Crónicas | |
| 2007 (49th) | Francisco Vargas Quevedo | El Violín | |
| 2008 (50th) | Carlos Reygadas‡ | Luz Silenciosa | |
| 2008 (50th) | Everardo González | Los Ladrones Viejos | |
| 2008 (50th) | Paul Leduc | Cobrador: In God We Trust | |
| 2009 (51st) | Fernando Eimbcke‡ | Lake Tahoe | |
| 2009 (51st) | Eugenio Polgovsky | Los Herederos | |
| 2009 (51st) | Gerardo Naranjo | I'm Gonna Explode | |
| 2010 (52nd) | Carlos Carrera‡ | Backyard: El Traspatio | |
| 2010 (52nd) | Mariana Chenillo | Cinco Días Sin Nora | |
| 2010 (52nd) | Alberto Cortés | Corazón del Tiempo | |
| 2011 (53rd) | Luis Estrada‡ | El Infierno | |
| 2011 (53rd) | Felipe Cazals | Chicogrande | |
| 2011 (53rd) | Diego Luna | Abel | |
| 2012 (54th) | Emilio Portes‡ | Pastorela | |
| 2012 (54th) | Everardo Gout | Días de Gracia | |
| 2012 (54th) | Gerardo Naranjo | Miss Bala | |
| 2013 (55th) | Rodrigo Plá‡ | La Demora | |
| 2013 (55th) | Luis Mandoki | La vida precoz y breve de Sabina Rivas | |
| 2013 (55th) | Paula Markovitch | El Premio | |
| 2013 (55th) | Matías Meyer | Los Últimos Cristeros | |
| 2014 (56th) | Amat Escalante‡ | Heli | |
| 2014 (56th) | Fernando Eimbcke | Club Sandwich | |
| 2014 (56th) | Francisco Franco | Tercera Llamada | |
| 2014 (56th) | Diego Quemada-Diez | La Jaula de Oro | |
| 2014 (56th) | Claudia Sainte-Luce | Los Insólitos Peces Gato | |
| 2015 (57th) | Alonso Ruizpalacios‡ | Güeros | [63] [64] |
| 2015 (57th) | Ernesto Contreras | Las Oscuras Primaveras | [63] [64] |
| 2015 (57th) | Luis Estrada | La Dictadura Perfecta | [63] [64] |
| 2015 (57th) | Rigoberto Perezcano | Carmín Tropical | [63] [64] |
| 2015 (57th) | Jorge Ramírez-Suárez | Guten Tag, Ramón | [63] [64] |
| 2016 (58th) | David Pablos‡ | Las Elegidas | |
| 2016 (58th) | Julio Hernández Cordón | Te Prometo Anarquía | |
| 2016 (58th) | Rodrigo Plá | Un Monstruo de Mil Cabezas | |
| 2016 (58th) | Gabriel Ripstein | 600 Millas | |
| 2016 (58th) | Anwar Safa | El Jeremías | |
| 2017 (59th) | Tatiana Huezo‡ | Tempestad | |
| 2017 (59th) | Mitzi Vanessa Arreola and Amir Galván | La 4a Compañía | |
| 2017 (59th) | Jonás Cuarón | Desierto | |
| 2017 (59th) | Federico Cecchetti | El Sueño del Mara'akame | |
| 2017 (59th) | Roberto Sneider | Me Estás Matando Susana | |
| 2018 (60th) | Amat Escalante‡ | La Región Salvaje | |
| 2018 (60th) | Natalia Beristáin | Los Adioses | |
| 2018 (60th) | Lucía Gajá | Batallas Íntimas | |
| 2018 (60th) | Everardo González | La Libertad del Diablo | |
| 2018 (60th) | Issa López | Vuelven | |
| 2019 (61st) | Alfonso Cuarón‡ | Roma | |
| 2019 (61st) | Lila Avilés | La Camarista | |
| 2019 (61st) | Alejandra Márquez Abella | Las Niñas Bien | |
| 2019 (61st) | Carlos Reygadas | Nuestro Tiempo | |
| 2019 (61st) | Alonso Ruizpalacios | Museo | |
| 2020 (62nd) | Fernando Frías de la Parra‡ | Ya No Estoy Aquí | |
| 2020 (62nd) | Julio Hernández Cordón | Cómprame Un Revolver | |
| 2020 (62nd) | Kenya Márquez | Asfixia | |
| 2020 (62nd) | Hari Sama | Esto no es Berlín | |
| 2020 (62nd) | José María Yazpik | Polvo | |
| 2021 (63rd) | Fernanda Valadez‡ | Sin Señas Particulares | |
| 2021 (63rd) | Carlos Pérez Osorio | Las Tres Muertes de Marisela Escobedo | |
| 2021 (63rd) | David Pablos | El baile de los 41 | |
| 2021 (63rd) | Samuel Kishi | Los Lobos | |
| 2021 (63rd) | Yulene Olaizola | Selva Trágica | |
| 2022 (64th) | Alonso Ruizpalacios‡ | Una Película de Policías | |
| 2022 (64th) | Ernesto Contreras | Cosas Imposibles | |
| 2022 (64th) | Ángeles Cruz | Nudo Mixteco | |
| 2022 (64th) | Tatiana Huezo | Noche de Fuego | |
| 2022 (64th) | Arturo Ripstein | El Diablo Entre Las Piernas | |
| 2023 (65th) | Alejandro González Iñárritu‡ | Bardo, falsa crónica de unas cuantas verdades | |
| 2023 (65th) | Natalia Beristáin | Ruido | |
| 2023 (65th) | Michelle Garza Cervera | Huesera | |
| 2023 (65th) | Alejandra Márquez Abella | El Norte Sobre el Vacío | |
| 2023 (65th) | Lucía Puenzo | La Caída | |
| 2024 (66th) | Lila Avilés | Tótem | |
| 2024 (66th) | Rodrigo García | Familia | |
| 2024 (66th) | Tatiana Huezo | The Echo | |
| 2024 (66th) | Elisa Miller | Temporada de Huracanes | |
| 2024 (66th) | David Zonana | Heroico | |

## Multiple wins and nominations

| Wins | Director |
| 4 | Carlos Carrera |
| 4 | Emilio "El Indio" Fernández |
| 3 | Felipe Cazals |
| 3 | Jorge Fons |
| 3 | Roberto Gavaldón |
| 2 | Luis Buñuel |
| 2 | Guillermo del Toro |
| 2 | Fernando Eimbcke |
| 2 | Amat Escalante |
| 2 | Luis Estrada |
| 2 | Alejandro Galindo |
| 2 | José Luis García Agraz |
| 2 | Alejandro González Iñarritu |
| 2 | Jaime Húmberto Hermosillo |
| 2 | Arturo Ripstein |
| 2 | Alonso Ruizpalacios |
| Nominations | Director |
| 8 | Felipe Cazals |
| 8 | Roberto Gavaldón |
| 7 | Arturo Ripstein |
| 6 | Carlos Carrera |
| 6 | Emilio "El Indio" Fernández |
| 4 | Julio Bracho |
| 4 | Luis Buñuel |
| 4 | Alfredo B. Crevenna |
| 4 | Juan Antonio de la Riva |
| 4 | Jorge Fons |
| 4 | Alberto Isaac |