Coveted DGA award for The Artist director Hazanavicius

French hit film, The Artist, added another prize to its growing list of honours after French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius, who produced the black-and-white silent movie, won a Directors Guild of America award. 

Reuters/Phil McCarten

It was the first time Hazanavicius, whose film won three Golden Globes on 16 January competed for a DGA award.

The win is an indication that the film stands a good chance of winning an Oscar next month.

Since 1948 only six DGA award winners have failed to also take the Oscar for best director, one of the most prestigious awards in Hollywood.

Hazanavicius competed for the outstanding achievement in feature film award with two big-name Hollywood directors, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, respective producers of Midnight in Paris and Hugo.

Also competing for the DGA awards Saturday were David Fincher, director of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Alexander Payne, producer of The Descendants.

The Artist also won last Tuesday 10 Oscar nominations, including best picture and best director.

Other winners of the night were James Marsh, for the documentary Project Nim,"Jon Cassar, the miniseries The Kennedys Patty Jenkins, the television drama The Killing, and Robert Weide, for the chapter Palestinian Chicken from the comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm.

The Oscars will be presented in Hollywood on 26 February.