The King’s Speech picks up major director’s award

BRITISH historical drama The King’s Speech got a new boost in the race for Oscars glory as its director won a key prize in a weekend of Hollywood awards.

Tom Hooper got the top gong for outstanding directorial achievement at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) show, seen as a key indicator of prospects for success at next month’s Academy Awards.

The winner of the DGA has gone on to win the Oscar for best director on all but six times since 1948.

Hooper’s movie starring Colin Firth as the stammering King George VI has gained momentum as Hollywood’s awards season progresses, and he was up against the directors of four other Oscar frontrunners for the DGA award.

He notably beat David Fincher, director of Facebook movie The Social Network, which was an early favourite for awards glory, but which lost ground as the weeks and awards shows go on.

Others in the running for the DGA had been Darren Aronofsky for ballet-themed drama Black Swan, Christopher Nolan for high-tech thriller Inception, and David O Russell for boxing movie The Fighter.

The films are all up for best film Oscar, along with Western remake True Grit, arm-amputating 127 Hours, gay parenting movie The Kids are Alright, Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone and animated blockbuster Toy Story 3.

But the understated British movie, also starring Helena Bonham Carter and Australian Geoffrey Rush as the king’s voice coach, appears increasingly like the film to beat.

Saturday’s DGA awards were followed by the Screen Actors’ Guild last night, expected to give yet another pointer to who will sweep Oscars glory.

The Fighter and The King’s Speech were the most nominated for the SAGs, with four nods each.