Columbia TriStar; GK Films; The Weinstein CompanyWould The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo's David Fincher avenge his Oscar snub? Would Hugo's Martin Scorsese make a case for his film being the one to beat?
Nah.
There was no game-changer (and also no Demi Moore triumph) at tonight's Directors Guild of America Awards.
The Artist took the top film honor for helmer Michel Hazanavicius.
The DGA recipient hasn't lost the Best Director prize at the Oscars in a decade; since 1948, the guild's pick has been denied Academy Awards glory just six times.
First-time winner Hazanavicius got his trophy the hard way: He beat DGA Award vets Fincher, Scorsese, Midnight in Paris' Woody Allen and The Descendants' Alexander Payne. All but Fincher will compete at the Oscars.
The Artist's DGA victory came one week after the black-and-white charmer's triumph at the Producers Guild, and one night before its next test at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards.
On the TV side, The Killing won for drama-series directing, while Curb Your Enthusiasm won for comedy series—and in the process thwarted Fred Savage, looking for his first win after four career nominations. Savage was up for helming an episode of Modern Family.
Moore, meanwhile, lost out on what would've been a nice way to end a bad week: a DGA Award in the TV-movies and miniseries category.
The group effort that was the Lifetime movie Five, featuring nominated directing work by Moore, Jennifer Aniston and Alicia Keys, got outpolled by The Kennedys. (One of Moore's other Five codirectors, Patty Jenkins, who won for calling the shots on the pilot of The Killing, told our own Marc Malkin that the star, despite the headlines, "was doing great.")
Here' s a rundown of the winners of the 64th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards:
Feature Film: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Documentary: Project Nim
Movies for Television and Mini-Series: The Kennedys
Dramatic Series: The Killing
Comedy Series: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Musical Variety: 65th Annual Tony Awards
Reality Programs: Biggest Loser
Daytime Serials: General Hospital
Children's Programs: A Child's Garden of Poetry
Commercials: Noam Murro