The Artist director Michel Hazanavicius was named the year's best feature film director by the Directors Guild of America last night.
The win is seen as a major boost for the silent movie-era romance ahead of the Oscars next month.
The movie about a fading star whose career is eclipsed by the woman he loves just as talkies are putting an end to silent pictures has been a critical darling throughout the Hollywood's current awards season.
"This is really touching and moving for me," said French director Hazanavicius upon accepting his award at the Grand Ballroom adjacent to the Kodak Theatre where the Oscars, the film industry's highest honours, will be given out on February 26th.
"It's maybe the highest recognition I could hope for," he said.
The DGA Awards are a key indicator of who may win Academy Awards next month because only six times since the DGA began handing out annual honours in 1948 has its winner failed to also be named best director by Oscar voters.
More importantly, there is a long history among members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars, to give their Academy Award for best film to the movie made by the winner of best director.
The next stop in the race for Oscars is tonight's Screen Actors Guild awards in Los Angeles where The Artist will look to extend its streak of victories, including a Golden Globe for best film musical or comedy and honours from critics groups.
Among the other DGA categories was the best film documentary award which went to James Marsh for Project Nim.
Among TV award winners, Patty Jenkins was given the DGA trophy for best drama series for the pilot episode of The Killing and Robert B Weide took home the DGA award for best comedy series for an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Reuters