Kathryn Bigelow Wins Directors Award for "Hurt Locker"

47 minutes LOS ANGELES (AP) - Filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow won Saturday with "The Hurt Locker" the highest award of the Directors Guild of America, a prize that usually predict the Oscar for best director. Bigelow, 58, and his film about the war in Iraq thus become strong candidates to win Academy Awards. The director is the first woman who wins the highest award of the Union. The ceremony Saturday night at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles, Bigelow beat James Cameron, the candidate for "Avatar", Jason Reitman ( "Up in the Air"), Lee Daniels ( "Precious") and Quentin Tarantino ( "Inglourious Basterds"). The director said the verdict was "the most incredible moment of my life." In the 60 year history of the union Only six times the winner of the jackpot is not won after the Oscars. Bigelow and his band had already been recognized several times this season, including awards from the National Society of Film Critics, the Broadcast Film Critics Circle of New York and the Association of Film Critics Awards Los Angeles and the Critics' Choice. "The Hurt Locker" was also a winner as best picture at the Producers Guild Awards. Cameron, Bigelow's former husband, was the best director and "Avatar" for best film at the Golden Globes ___ HASH (0×9560258) Average ( Not Rated)