AceShowbiz - Sean Baker's "Anora" won the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award for Theatrical Feature Film on Saturday, February 8, at the Beverly Hilton. This accolade places the film in a strong position for the upcoming Academy Awards, as the DGA Award for Best Director has historically been a reliable predictor of the Oscar for Best Director.

"Anora" is a drama that follows a 12-year-old girl navigating the complexities of life in a low-income neighborhood in New York City. The film premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Palme d'Or award.

The filmmaker bested the likes of Jacques Audiard ("Emilia Perez"), Edward Berger ("Conclave"), Brady Corbet ("The Brutalist"), and James Mangold ("A Complete Unknown").

In his acceptance speech, Baker expressed his gratitude to the DGA and the cast and crew of "Anora." He also highlighted the importance of depicting diverse and often marginalized communities on the big screen.

In addition to the Theatrical Feature Film award, "{m=Nickel Boys]" director RaMell Ross took home the Michael Apted First-Time Theatrical Feature Film award. The film is based on the true story of the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, a reform school in Florida where hundreds of boys were subjected to physical and psychological abuse.

FX's drama series "Shogun" won the award for Dramatic Series while HBO/Max's comedy "Hacks" took home the award for Comedy Series. Netflix's miniseries "Ripley" won the award for Movies for Television and Limited Series.

Legendary filmmaker Ang Lee received the DGA's highest honor, the DGA Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by his "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" star Michelle Yeoh.

The 77th DGA Awards were hosted by comedian and filmmaker Judd Apatow, who took the opportunity to roast controversial figures such as former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

The DGA Awards are a major event in the awards season and a strong indicator of potential success at the Academy Awards. With "Anora" winning the top prize, Baker and his film are cementing their run for Oscar gold.

DGA Awards Winners:

• Feature Film Director: Sean Baker - "Anora"
• Michael Apted First-Time Feature Film Director: RaMell Ross - "Nickel Boys"
• Documentary Director: Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev - "Porcelain War"
• Dramatic Series: Frederick E.O. Toye - "Shogun" - "Crimson Sky"
• Comedy Series Director: Lucia Aniello - "Hacks" - "Bulletproof"
• Limited Series/TV-Movie Director: Steven Zaillian - "Ripley"
• Best Variety/Talk/News/Sports Series Director: Liz Patrick - "Saturday Night Live" - "John Mulaney / Chappell Roan"
• Variety/Talk/News/Sports Special Director: Beth McCarthy Miller - "The Roast of Tom Brady"
• Reality Program Director: Neil DeGroot - "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted" - "The Cliffs of Ireland"
• Children's Program Director: Amber Sealey - "Out of My Mind"
• Commercials Director: Andreas Nilsson (Biscuit Filmworks), "Board Game," Hennessy Wieden+Kennedy London, "First Office Poo," Andrex FCB London, "One More," Apple Client Direct, and "Whizzer," Virgin Media VCCP London