| Year | Movie | Award | Category | |||
| 2001 | Mulholland Dr. | Cannes Film Festival | Best Director | |||
| 2001 | Mulholland Dr. | Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Director | |||
| 2001 | Mulholland Dr. | Toronto Film Critics Association | Best Director | |||
| 2001 | Mulholland Dr. | American Film Institute | Best Director | |||
| 2001 | Mulholland Dr. | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie | Best Director | |||
| 2001 | Mulholland Dr. | Los Angeles Film Critics Association | Best Director | |||
| 2001 | Mulholland Dr. | Hollywood Foreign Press Association | Best Director | |||
| 2001 | Mulholland Dr. | Hollywood Foreign Press Association | Best Screenplay | |||
| 1999 | The Straight Story | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Director | |||
| 1986 | Blue Velvet | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Screenplay | |||
| 1986 | Blue Velvet | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie | Best Director | |||
| 1986 | Blue Velvet | Hollywood Foreign Press Association | Best Screenplay | |||
| 1986 | Blue Velvet | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Director | |||
| 1985 | Blue Velvet | National Society of Film Critics | Best Director | |||
| 1985 | Blue Velvet | Los Angeles Film Critics Association | Best Director | |||
| 1981 | The Elephant Man | French Academy of Cinema | Best Foreign Film | |||
| 1980 | The Elephant Man | Hollywood Foreign Press Association | Best Director | |||
| 1980 | The Elephant Man | Hollywood Foreign Press Association | Best Screenplay | |||
| 1980 | The Elephant Man | British Academy of Film and Television | Best Picture | |||
| 1980 | The Elephant Man | Directors Guild of America | Best Director | |||
| 1980 | The Elephant Man | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie | Best Director | |||
| 1980 | The Elephant Man | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie | Best Adapted Screenplay |