Jane Campion scooped the top prize of the night at the DGA Awards on Saturday — the Theatrical Feature Film award — for her Western The Power of the Dog.
This honor at DGA is historically the biggest predictor of who will win Best Director at Oscar, so Campion should get ready for more possible directing gold in two weeks’ time.
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The Best Director Oscar has been won every year since 1948 with just eight exceptions.
“I’m so really moved and honored by this voting for me,”Campion stated in her acceptance speech before she thanked “my teacher, the master, Paul Thomas Anderson” — who also was DGA-nominated for Licorice Pizza.
Presenting her with the award was Chloé Zhao, who took home this same award last year for Nomadland, which predictably won her Best Director at the Academy Awards — and Best Picture too.
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“I’m so proud of you,”Campion spoke to Zhao about Zhao’s first win as Best Director Oscar winner. “I’m so proud of this woman. She’s made history, and she’s made everything better. I was so proud of her last year, and it’s just making such a difference. That’s why I’m here too. I’m here because I care about women having voices as well. I’m so excited about the next generation of filmmakers. Maggie Gyllenhaal made such a gorgeous film. Cutting edge, I love it.”
Campion led the way for female directors when she became the first woman ever to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes for The PianoCampion was also Oscar-nominated for the film, Campion’s Best Director Academy nomination this year puts her back in history as the first woman to win Oscars in that category twice. She was nominated for an Oscar in Adapted Screenplay.The Piano.
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