The Kerala State Film Award for Best Director is an honour presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India since 1969. It is given to a film director who has exhibited outstanding direction while working in the Malayalam film industry. Until 1997, the awards were managed directly by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala. Since 1998, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit organisation functioning under the Department of Cultural Affairs, has been exercising control over the awards. The recipients are decided by an independent jury formed by the academy. They are declared by the Minister for Cultural Affairs and are presented by the Chief Minister.

The first Kerala State Film Awards ceremony was held in 1970 with cinematographer-director A. Vincent receiving the Best Director award for his work in Nadhi (1969). Throughout the years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the Government of Kerala has presented a total of 50 best director awards to 25 different filmmakers. The recipients receive a figurine, a certificate, and a cash prize of ₹2 lakh (US$2,400).

G. Aravindan is the most frequent winner in this category with seven awards. He is followed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan (six awards), Shyamaprasad (five awards) and K. S. Sethumadhavan (four awards). As of 2020, six directors—Shaji N. Karun, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, T. V. Chandran, Hariharan, Blessy and Lijo Jose Pellissery— have won the award twice in their careers. The academy did not present the award at the 2002 ceremony. Vidhu Vincent was the first female director to win the award in 2016, for her debut film Manhole. The most recent recipient was Sidhartha Siva, who received the award for his film Ennivar in 2020.

Winners

List of award recipients, showing the year and film(s)

Year	Recipient	Film	Ref.
1969	A. Vincent	Nadhi
1970	K. S. Sethumadhavan	Aranazhika Neram
1971	K. S. Sethumadhavan	Karakanakadal
1972	K. S. Sethumadhavan	Panitheeratha Veedu
1973	M. T. Vasudevan Nair	Nirmaalyam
1974	G. Aravindan	Uttarayanam
1975	P. A. Backer	Kabani Nadi Chuvannappol
1976	T. Rajeevnath	Thanal
1977	Adoor Gopalakrishnan	Kodiyettam
1978	G. Aravindan	Thampu
1979	G. Aravindan	Esthappan
1980	K. S. Sethumadhavan	Oppol
1981	G. Aravindan	Pokkuveyil
1982	Bharathan	Marmaram
1983	Fazil	Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku
1984	Adoor Gopalakrishnan	Mukhamukham
1985	G. Aravindan	Chidambaram
1986	G. Aravindan	Oridathu
1987	Adoor Gopalakrishnan	Anantaram
1988	K. P. Kumaran	Rugmini
1989	I. V. Sasi	Mrugaya
1990	G. Aravindan	Vasthuhara
1991	Kamal	Ulladakkam
1992	Hariharan	Sargam
1993	Adoor Gopalakrishnan	Vidheyan
1994	Shaji N. Karun	Swaham
1995	Adoor Gopalakrishnan	Kathapurushan
1996	Jayaraj	Desadanam
1997	T. V. Chandran	Mangamma
1998	Shyamaprasad	Agnisakshi
1999	Shaji N. Karun	Vanaprastham
2000	M. T. Vasudevan Nair	Oru Cheru Punchiri
2001	T. V. Chandran	Dany
2002	No winner
2003	Sibi Malayil	Ente Veedu Appuvinteyum
2004	Shyamaprasad	Akale
2005	Blessy	Thanmathra
2006	Lenin Rajendran	Rathri Mazha
2007	M. G. Sasi	Atayalangal
2008	Adoor Gopalakrishnan	Oru Pennum Randaanum
2009	Hariharan	Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja
2010	Shyamaprasad	Elektra
2011	Blessy	Pranayam
2012	Lal Jose	Ayalum Njanum Thammil
2013	Shyamaprasad	Artist
2014	Sanal Kumar Sasidharan	Oraalppokkam
2015	Martin Prakkat	Charlie
2016	Vidhu Vincent	Manhole
2017	Lijo Jose Pellissery	Ee.Ma.Yau.
2018	Shyamaprasad	Oru Njayarazhcha
2019	Lijo Jose Pellissery	Jellikkettu
2020	Sidhartha Siva	Ennivar
2021	Dileesh Pothan	Joji
2022	Mahesh Narayan	Ariyippu