The 38th Directors Guild of America Awards, honoring the outstanding directorial achievements in film and television in 1985, were presented on March 8, 1986, at the Beverly Hilton and the Plaza Hotel.

[1][2][3] The nominees in seven television categories were announced on January 23, 1986[4][5] and the feature film nominees were announced on January 29, 1986.

[6][7][8] Steven Spielberg – The Color Purple Will Mackenzie – Moonlighting for "My Fair David" Jay Sandrich – The Golden Girls for "Pilot" John Erman – An Early Frost Don Mischer – Motown Returns to the Apollo Sandy Tung – CBS Schoolbreak Special for "The Day the Senior Class Got Married" Harry Rasky – Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love Andy Kindle and David Michaels – 1985 Tour de France Ed Bianchi – Diet Pepsi's "Forward Pass", National Institute on Drug Abuse's "Gauntlet", Bounce's "Jump", and American Express' "Young Lawyers"