By Sandy Cohen, Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --A month into Hollywood’s awards season and the competition is still wide open. “The Hurt Locker” appears to be a front-runner, but “Avatar,” ”Precious,” ”Inglourious Basterds” and “Up in the Air” have won their share of awards, too.
The directors of these films — Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Lee Daniels, Quentin Tarantino and Jason Reitman — compete Saturday for the top prize from the Directors Guild of America, an award that almost always predicts the Oscar winner for best director.
Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” has already won directing and best-picture honors from the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and at the Critics’ Choice Awards, where both competed against the same four DGA nominees. “The Hurt Locker” was also the Producers Guild’s best picture winner.
Cameron, who is Bigelow’s ex-husband, was best director and “Avatar” best picture at the Golden Globes. “Precious” has won half a dozen awards for supporting actress Mo’Nique. “Basterds” won acting ensemble honors from Critics’ Choice the Screen Actors Guild. “Up in the Air” was the National Board of Review’s pick for best picture.
The DGA Web site boasts that its winner has gone on to win the Academy Award for directing all but six times since 1948, and typically, the film that wins the Oscar for best director goes on to win for best picture.
The guild will also present awards in documentary, television and commercial categories. Norman Jewison will receive the guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction at the ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel.
Object & Animal Signs Director Alana O’Herlihy To Its Global Roster
Object & Animal has added multidisciplinary artist, photographer and director Alana O’Herlihy to its roster for exclusive worldwide representation spanning commercials, branded content and music videos. This marks the first production house representation for O’Herlihy. Her portfolio encompasses a wide range of visual artistry, from directing films and music videos to creating photographic stills. Known for a unique blend of analog and digital mediums, O’Herlihy’s work includes leading brands and top-tier magazines, where her vision consistently sparks conversation and brings heightened visibility to her subjects. Her glamorous, campy style pushes the boundaries of conventional artistry. Among her notable directorial credits is the Miley Cyrus music video “Prisoner” featuring Dua Lipa. “Alana’s ability to seamlessly merge old mediums with cutting-edge processes is a testament to her boundless creativity,” said Emi Stewart, executive producer at Object & Animal. “Her work challenges conventions while celebrating the visual grandeur of both past and present.” Object & Animal maintains offices in London, Los Angeles and New York. Read More