The Directors Guild of America Awards is an annual American awards ceremony with awards given out by the Directors Guild union so the awards are actually voted for by American directors themselves.

The most prestigious award given out at the ceremony is for Outstanding Direction of a Feature Film and the director who has won this award has only six times not then gone on to win the Oscar for best director. Last night the award was won for the first time ever by a female – going to The Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow. So its highly likely she may go on to be the first female to win the Oscar as well on March the 7th.

The other film directing award that the DGA gives out is for Outstanding Direction of a Feature Documentary and this went to Louie Psihoyos for The Cove. They also give out several lifetime achievement awards and this year honoured director Norman Jewison with a Lifetime Achievement in Direction Award. Robert Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, also received a creative achievement lifetime award as did Barry Meyer,  Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros – for all the winners including in the numerous TV categories see the DGA website