Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire": An iconic British director who has worked in film, theatre and television to huge critical success. Prior to "Slumdog Millionaire", Boyle was probably best known for his breakthrough feature film "Trainspotting". A native of Lancashire, Britain, Boyle's other movies include "The Beach", "28 Days Later", "Millions and Sunshine".

David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button": Known for his dark and stylish movies, Fincher, 45, first rose to prominence as the director of visually stunning music videos for the likes of Sting, Madonna and Aerosmith. His first film was "Alien" in 1992, which was followed by "Se7en", "Fight Club", "Panic Room" and "Zodiac".

Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon": Howard, 53, is one of the most prolific filmmakers in Hollywood. Formerly a successful child actor, Howard is a partner in Imagine Entertainment, among the most respected production companies in the film world. His many films include "Cocoon", "Willow", "Apollo 13", "A Beautiful Mind", "Cinderella Man" and "The Da Vinci Code".

Gus Van Sant, "Milk": A director who's impossible to pigeonhole, Van Sant has made a career of offbeat films that push the edges. He gained widespread critical praise for his three first movies, "Mala Noche", "Drugstore Cowboy" and "My Own Private Idaho". He had a huge hit and an Oscar nomination for "Good Will Hunting" and won the Palm D'Or at Cannes for "Elephant", a searing movie inspired by the Columbine school massacre in the US.

Stephen Daldry, "The Reader": A British director who was highly successful in the theatre before making his feature film debut in 2000 with the acclaimed "Billy Elliot", for which he was nominated for an Oscar. His next effort, "The Hours" in 2002, garnered nine nominations and a best actress win for Nicole Kidman.

Oscar bet: Boyle is the heavy favourite in this race, but Van Sant and Fincher have lots of Oscar fans too.