At which Academy Awards did Steven Spielberg win his first Best Director Oscar for Schindler’s List?

Steven Spielberg won his first Best Director Oscar for Schindler’s List at the 66th Academy Awards.

The ceremony took place on March 21, 1994, and honored films released in 1993. Spielberg won Best Director for Schindler’s List, defeating Jane Campion, James Ivory, Robert Altman, and Kenneth Branagh. The victory came after several earlier nominations without a win.

Schindler’s List also won Best Picture, with Spielberg serving as one of its producers. The film received 12 nominations and won seven awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score. Its black-and-white visual style and historical subject helped distinguish it from Spielberg’s more familiar adventure and science-fiction films.

Spielberg later won a second Best Director Oscar for Saving Private Ryan at the 71st Academy Awards. Therefore, the 66th ceremony is specifically linked to his first directing victory, not his first Oscar of any kind or his later win.