Each year, the Fargo Film Festival juries nominate filmmakers and vote on an overall Best Director from movies in competition.

2024: Sean Wang (Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó)
2023: Emily Sheskin (JessZilla)
2022: Annie St-Pierre (Like the Ones I Used to Know)
2021: Anthony Giacchino (Colette)
2020: Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder (The Planters)

2019: Nia DaCosta (Little Woods)
2018: Don Hertzfeldt (World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People’s Thoughts)
2017: Marc Wilkins (Bon Voyage)
2016: Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K. Walker (Welcome to Leith)
2015: Jesse Moss (The Overnighters)
2014: Dave Carroll (Bending Steel)
2013: Tom Van Avermaet (Death of a Shadow)
2012: Don Hertzfeldt (It’s Such a Beautiful Day)
2011: Vitaly Vorobjev (I Shall Remember)
2010: Andy Abrahams Wilson (Under Our Skin)

2009: Jenny Abel and Jeff Hockett (Abel Raises Cain)
2008: Andrzej Celinski and Hanna Polak (The Children of Leningradsky)
2007: Jeff Solylo (East of Euclid)