On December 4, the DGA's Los Angeles theatre complex was the site of the International Documentary Association's (IDA) 2009 Awards Ceremony. The DGA is a sponsor of the event.

The celebration of documentary filmmaking was hosted by Ira Glass (This American Life) and two-time DGA Documentary Award nominee Errol Morris (Mr. Death: the Rise and Fall of Fred Leuchter, Jr; The Fog of War) was honored with the IDA's Career Achievement Award.