The article ranks the Best Director Oscar winners of the 2020s to date, judging their wider filmographies, consistency and work since winning. It presents the winners as distinctive auteurs whose Oscar successes reflect a broader range of styles than traditional prestige cinema.

– Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert won for *Everything Everywhere All at Once*, after building a reputation through inventive music videos and *Swiss Army Man*; their film won seven Oscars, including Best Picture.
– Sean Baker won for *Anora* after years of independent films about marginalised communities; his four Oscars for one film equalled Walt Disney’s record.
– Jane Campion won in 2021 for *The Power of the Dog*, adding to an already acclaimed career that includes *The Piano* and *Top of the Lake*.