Eastwood Wins at DGAs

The director defeated Martin Scorsese at the Directors' Guild of America Awards, strenghtening his case for Oscar victory.

Jan 31 2005

Clint Eastwood has been named best director by the Directors' Guild of America for 'Million Dollar Baby', beating strong competition from the likes of Alexander Payne, Marc Forster, Taylor Hackford and Martin Scorsese.

It was also a good weekend for the boxing drama at the American box office, where it expanded to 2,010 screens, and no doubt boosted by Oscar nominations and Golden Globe wins, grossed a very respectable $11.8 million (making a running total of $21.1 million thus far).

The Directors' Guild win will also strengthen Eastwood’s chances of Academy Award glory next month, as 50 of the last 56 DGA winners have gone onto win the same prize at the Oscars.

He last won a DGA in 1993 for 'Unforgiven', a film that also won him an Oscar later that same year.

Accepting the prize from Steven Spielberg, Eastwood said: 'I'm pleased as punch', and of his co-stars Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman, he added 'This is a real pleasure, working with Hilary and Morgan – they're just fabulous people. All I have to do is sort of stand there and guide it.'

Elsewhere at the ceremony, Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni won the best director of a documentary award for 'The Story of Weeping Camel', defeating early favourite Michael Moore for 'Fahrenheit 9/11'.

 

 

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