We had a trivia question about film directors in a recent trivia game – “Other than Damien Chazelle, who directed La La Land, name one of the other four directors who have won the Academy Award for Best Director since 1980 AND were younger than 40 at the time of the award?” Our team got this one correct. But this led me on a little quest to see which other films won the “best director” Oscar – but NOT an Oscar for best picture. And here…I…go…

Warren Beatty – Reds, 1981

Warren Beatty in Shampoo, 1975 wearing a blouse that Prince would one day steal from him. This did NOT win best picture…some kooky 1975 film about an insane asylum wound up winning for that year. Sorry…should have said “Cuckoo.” Beatty won the best director Oscar for the 1981 film Reds, though Chariots of Fire won best picture.

Oliver Stone – Born On The Fourth of July, 1989

Oliver Stone, looking super contemplative. He won the best directing Oscar for the 1989 film Born On the Fourth of July, though Driving Miss Daisy won best picture that year.

Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan, 1998

Steven Spielberg on the set of Jaws. Check out his tube socks! He doesn’t care if they get wet! Spielberg won best director for the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan, though the Oscar for best picture went to Shakespeare In Love. Two other films for which he has received directing nominations include Munich, 2005 and Lincoln, 2012.

Steven Soderbergh, Traffic, 2000

As creepy as you’d expect the director of Sex, Lies and Videotape to look – Steven Soderbergh. He won the best director Oscar for Traffic, though the best picture Oscar that year went to Gladiator.

Roman Polanski, The Pianist, 2002

Speaking of creepy… controversial film director Roman Polanski, aka “She looked WAY older than 13,” in a still from Chinatown. He was known for a very hands-on approach to directing, which in this case of this knife scene in Chinatown, bordered on violent…Polanski won best director for The Pianist, though Chicago won the Oscar for best picture.

Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain, 2005 and Life of Pi, 2012

Sorry, Ang Lee, I’m not doing TWO pictures of you with this post! A scene from Brokeback Mountain, 2005. The Oscar for best picture in 2005 went to Crash, and the 2012 movie winning best picture was Argo.

Look at me, Ang Lee – I have TWO Oscars for best director, bitches!

Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity, 2013

Alfonso Cuarón Orozco – Not sure if he’s trying to demonstrate the proper way to pour cocktails, or if he is just double fisting a couple of Oscar statuettes…He won the best directing Oscar for Gravity, though 12 Years a Slave won the best picture Oscar that year.

Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant, 2015

Alejandro González Iñárritu in a directorial moment of wild abandon. Or he’s just telling his actors, “Emote already, dammit!” He received an Oscar nod for best director for The Revenant, though Spotlight won the best picture Oscar that year.

Damien Chazelle, La La Land, 2016

“OK, Emma…go over there and emote. And try not to be too whorish, like you are in most of your movies (ahem).” Damien Chazelle, who received the best director Oscar for La La Land, though Moonlight won the best picture Oscar the same year.