This film image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Sandra Bullock in a scene from “Gravity.”LOS ANGELES – Alfonso Cuaron was awarded the top film honor from the Directors Guild of America for “Gravity” on Saturday night, giving the lost-in-space saga an edge on the journey to the Academy Awards.
In the recent bustle of Hollywood honors, “Gravity,” David O. Russell’s con caper “American Hustle” and Steve McQueen’s historical epic “12 Years a Slave” had been competing in the tightest three-way Oscar race in years.
But Cuaron’s film now has the upper hand for the best-picture and director Academy Awards, and with 10 Oscar nominations, is likely to gain the most statuettes on Hollywood’s biggest night March 2. “American Hustle” also has 10 nominations, but in tougher, more competitive races than “Gravity’s” mainly craft nods.
Meanwhile, the early dominant momentum of “12 Years a Slave” has weakened following Saturday night’s “Gravity” win and the results of the Golden Globes on Jan. 12 and last weekend’s Screen Actors Guild and Producers Guild awards, at which “American Hustle” and “Gravity” had the stronger showings.
In the 65-year history of the DGA awards, the winner has failed to also take home the best director Oscar just seven times. Ben Affleck, who presented Cuaron with his guild award, won the same accolade last year for “Argo” but was denied a best director nomination at the Oscars. However, like many DGA winners, “Argo” went on to win the best-picture prize at the Oscars.