While there are few sure bets when it comes to awards prognostication, a director scooping the top prize at their own guild's ceremony is often a pointer to the same
person hoisting an Oscar at the Academy Awards. So though he'd never let himself feel it, The Artist's Michel Hazanavicius has every right to feel a little more confident, as he scored the Directors Guild Of America award on Saturday night.
"It's maybe the highest recognition I could hope. I really love directors, I over-respect directors. This is very moving and touching to me," he said on ascending to the podium as a standing ovation filled the ceremony. "Best director – I really don't know what that means. All movies are different, so it's a strange thing to try to compare them and say which is best, but I'm very happy to get this. Thank you."
Hazanavicius had been competing against Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, David Fincher and Alexander Payne for the award.
On the TV side, Robert Weide won for Curb Your Enthusiasm, and used his typically deadpan style in his acceptance: "I have very mixed feelings about this because this means that I just lost a $300 bet to my wife, Linda. Why do they call this a medallion? It's a plate. I understand when you go to Don Mischer's house for dinner, you actually eat off of these."
The other winners of the night:
Movies For TV And Mini-Series
Jon Cassar, The Kennedys
Dramatic TV Series
Patty Jenkins, The Killing
Musical/Variety TV
Glen Weiss, 65th annual Tony Awards
Reality TV
Neil P Degroot, Biggest Loser
Daytime TV
William Ludell, General Hospital
Children's TV
Amy Schatz, A Child's Garden Of Poetry
Commercials
Noam Murro