This year’s Directors Guild of America awards saw Alfonso Cuarón picking up the Best Feature Director award, edging Gravity out as the one to beat at the Oscars.
The director received the top honour at the ceremony, making him the firm favourite to win the Best Director Academy Award in March.
In the DGA’s 65-year history, the winner of the Best Feature Director award almost always goes on to win the same award at the Oscars, with this failing to happen just seven times.
Last year, Ben Affleck picked up the prestigious DGA award for Argo but was denied an opportunity to do the same at the Oscars having failed to be nominated in that category.
Upon receiving his award, Alfonso Cuarón said “What you cannot see from up there is this bizarre experiment of nature that is the human experience.
"That experiment is what directors try to sort out with our films. Thankfully, that experience is as diverse as the films as these filmmakers make."
