Best Motion Picture Drama

The Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama is one of the most prestigious accolades that is presented annually during the Golden Globe Awards ceremony by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The organization comprise of journalists and photographers covering the US entertainment industry for publications mainly in non-US media markets. The award is a token of honor given to recognize an exceptionally fine drama film that has thrived in making its mark as a masterpiece in its own right.

The accolade, which goes to the producers of the film, was initially introduced as Best Picture award as one of the six original categories of the Golden Globe Awards ceremony at the time of the latter’s inception by the Hollywood Foreign Correspondent Association (HFCA), the predecessor of HFPA. The 1943 released American biographical drama film The Song of Bernadette produced by American film producer William Perlberg became winner of the first Best Picture award at the 1st Golden Globe Awards ceremony held in 1944. The Best Picture category was later separated into Drama and Musical or Comedy genres by the association in 1952 to pay specific attention to and recognize best films in both the genres and was first presented as two separate categories, namely Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy that year during the 9th Golden Globe Awards. The critically and commercially successful 1951 released American drama film A Place in the Sun directed and produced by American film director, producer, cinematographer and screenwriter George Stevens became the first film to receive the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. The two separated award categories for Best Picture were reunified just once during the 1954 held 11th Golden Globe Awards, when it was presented as Best Motion Picture – Drama award to the 1953 released American fictional Biblical epic film The Robe produced by film producer, writer, and actor Frank Ross.

Some of the other notable films that won this award include the 1957 released epic war film The Bridge on the River Kwai, that is widely counted among the greatest films of all time; the 1959 released American epic religious film Ben-Hur; the 1961 released action adventure war film The Guns of Navarone; the 1972 released American epic crime film The Godfather, a landmark gangster movie that is counted among the greatest and most influential films of all time; Steven Spielberg’s 1982 released American sci-fi film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1993 released American epic historical drama film Schindler's List, 1998 released American epic war film Saving Private Ryan and 2022 released American coming-of-age drama film The Fabelmans; and James Cameron and Jon Landau’s 1997 released American disaster film Titanic, which emerged as the first film in history to touch the billion-dollar mark, and the 2009 released epic sci-fi film Avatar which reigns as the highest-grossing film of all time.

List of Winners - Golden Globes Best Motion Picture Drama