Golden Globe 2013 Nominations Predictions: Who Wins Best Director; Steven Spielberg, Ben Affleck Are Front-Runners (VIDEO)

By David Salazar (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Jan 05, 2013 12:10 AM EST

Tags Golden Globes Nominations 2013, Golden Globes Nominations, oscars, oscars 2013, oscar nominations

The five directors picked by the Golden Globes correspond with the five best drama films. It is easy to assume that the winner here also predicts the best picture winner, but that is not necessarily the case. Though the Hollywood Foreign Press usually picks the film and director in tandem, this year's race is so tight and a split may be inevitable.

Ben Affleck (Argo)

"Argo" has won numerous critics awards and the director himself has picked up a plethora of Best Director precursors. This is Affleck's first directorial nomination at the Globes. He has had three and won back in 1998 for his screenplay to "Good Will Hunting." "Argo" is potential favorite to win the best drama award and that alone could give Affleck the victory here.

Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

It is hard to tell how well Bigelow will do at the Golden Globes this year. The film did earn four nominations, but its gritty style may put off conservative voters. Back in 2010, her Oscar winner "The Hurt Locker" was shut out by the Globes and she wound up losing the Best Director award to her ex-husband James Cameron. She has been leading the precursor awards and that could help her cause, but this film remains a dark horse to win in this category. It is essential to point out that when Bigelow won the award for Best Director at the Oscars back in 2010, she became the first woman to ever do so. The Globes missed out on this opportunity to award their first female director and may look to make this change.

Ang Lee (Life of Pi)

Ang Lee has a chance to take home this award, but his film has not picked up the steam to fend off the big two in this category. Lee's artful and pensive "Life of Pi" is looking more like a passenger in the awards season that a major contender and that alone diminishes Lee's chances. It is essential to note that the Globes know they have the power to alter this race and handing a victory to "Life of Pi" and Lee would do just that. This is the least violent of the films and its friendlier nature could please conservative HFP members who will crown its director with the award. This is his fourth nomination for the award and could be his third win. Lee previously won in 2006 for "Brokeback Mountain" and in 2001 for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)

The most powerful man in Hollywood is one of the major contenders for this award. His film was the most nominated by the HFP and that alone indicates the organization's predisposition toward it. The main opponent in this race for Spielberg is Ben Affleck. Both "Lincoln" and "Argo" are the front-runners at the Globes and it is possible that the HFP decides to give one Best Director and honor the other's film as the Best Drama. Spielberg has been nominated 12 times in this category and has won two times. In 1999 he was awarded for directing "Saving Private Ryan" and his work "Schindler's List" was celebrated in 1994.

Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)

Tarantino has been nominated five times for the Golden Globes and picked up his only victory back in 1995 for hi screenplay to "Pulp Fiction." Tarantino's chances at winning this award are likely minimal as his film has picked up less buzz than the other four contestants.

Predictions:The battle comes down to Spielberg and Affleck and I think that the HFP honors Spielberg with his third victory at the Globes.