- Leading climate activist released from Vietnam jail
- Ethiopians struggle with bitter pill of currency reform
- Sri Lanka votes in first poll since economic collapse
- Feminist author warns of abortion disaster if Trump wins US election
- US city of Flint still reeling from water crisis, 10 years on
- Arsenal's mean defence faces acid test to shut out Man City again
- Late surge lifts Thailand's Jeeno to LPGA Queen City lead
- DeChambeau says PGA's Ryder Cup decision 'just the start'
- Alcaraz defeated on Laver Cup debut
- Postecoglou embraces 'struggle' to make Spurs a success
- Nice hand 'ashamed' Saint-Etienne 8-0 Ligue 1 mauling
- Boeing CEO says ending strike 'a top priority'
- Harris slams Trump for hypocrisy on abortion as US starts voting
- Academy to host first overseas ceremony to honor young filmmakers
- No doctor necessary: US okays nasal spray flu vaccine for self-use
- Former delivery man Baldwin leads star names at PGA Championship
- Trump shooting: Secret Service admits complacency
- Can an ambitious Milei make Argentina an AI giant?
- Haiti, its suffering growing, in 'race against time': UN expert
- Ibrahim Aqil, the Hezbollah elite unit commander wanted by the US
- Chinese forward Cui signs NBA contract with Brooklyn Nets
- US Fed dissenter calls for 'measured' pace of rate cuts
- Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload as Kompany demands cap on games
- Norway limits wild salmon fishing as stocks hit new lows
- Top Hezbollah commander killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
- Rotterdam fatal knife attacker suspected of 'terrorist motive'
- First early votes cast in knife-edge US presidential election
- Top-ranked Swiatek out of Beijing due to 'personal matters'
- Hard-right Reform UK looks to the future after vote success
- Embiid agrees to NBA contract extension with 76ers
- Joshua aims to complete road to redemption in Dubois bout
- World champion Bagnaia sets pace with lap record at Misano
- Biden says 'working' to get people back to homes on Israel-Lebanon border
- Pope criticises Argentina's crackdown on protesters
- Court limits screenings of videos in France mass rape case
- Gurbaz century takes Afghanistan to 311-4 in 2nd ODI
- Central banks face 'difficult balancing act': IMF chief
- Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears
- Paris Olympics sports equipment moves to new homes
- 'Happy' Kinghorn relishing life at Toulouse
- Norris sets Singapore pace as Verstappen only 15th
- Germany to bid to host women's Euro 2029
- Portugal brings deadly forest fires under control
- Postecoglou defends Solanke after slow start to Spurs career
- US nuclear plant Three Mile Island to reopen to power Microsoft
- Arteta urges Arsenal to take next step in Man City showdown
- Stock markets fall after Fed-fuelled rally
- Poland charges Russian over attack on Navalny ally: prosecutors
- Man City have rest 'advantage' in Arsenal showdown: Guardiola
- Maresca has 'no doubt' in Jackson as Chelsea's number nine
'Everything Everywhere' duo win top Hollywood directing prize
"Everything Everywhere All At Once" won top honors from Hollywood's directors Saturday, as the quirky indie sci-fi movie from two relatively unknown young filmmakers upstaged more famous rivals ahead of next month's Oscars.
Directing double-act Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, both 35, fended off competition from the likes of Steven Spielberg to win the prize for best feature film at the Directors Guild of America's annual gala in Beverly Hills.
"What the hell? Guys, thank you so much. This has been an incredible year for our little film that somehow keeps going," said a visibly shocked Kwan.
The movie stars Michelle Yeoh as an immigrant laundromat owner undergoing a tax audit who becomes drawn into an inter-dimensional battle to save the multiverse from a powerful villain.
It became a huge word-of-mouth hit last year, has grossed more than $100 million worldwide, and holds the most Academy Award nominations this year with 11.
Kwan and Scheinert, collectively referred to as "Daniels," made their start directing music videos, and were previously best known for the oddball Daniel Radcliffe comedy "Swiss Army Man."
Scheinert thanked his co-director Kwan "for putting up with me when I asked to make our movie weirder."
"Thank you for making our movie so much braver and more vulnerable. What an honor... this is crazy!"
- 'Shark movies' -
The DGAs, though not broadcast on television, offer highly prestigious recognition from the industry's top directors, and are now in their 75th year.
They are also considered a key Oscars predictor. Seventeen of the past 19 DGA winners have gone on to also win best director at the Academy Awards that year.
The other directors nominated by the DGA were Martin McDonagh ("The Banshees of Inisherin"), Todd Field ("TAR"), Joseph Kosinski ("Top Gun: Maverick") and Spielberg, for his semi-autobiographical childhood memoir "The Fabelmans."
It was Spielberg's 13th DGA nomination -- he has won three times -- and nearly every nominee and winner on Saturday evening name-checked the famous director.
Spielberg himself admitted he had been "terrified" that audiences would watch his latest, deeply personal film and respond: "So what? Your childhood wasn't all that interesting!"
He joked that he had also dreaded being told: "Please get back to making scary movies, shark movies, alien movies. Those were fun."
But, he concluded, "I have been calling 'Action!' for 55 years. So why the hell not?"
- 'Sacrificed their lives' -
Elsewhere on Saturday, Sara Dosa won best documentary for "Fire of Love," her film about two French volcano scientists who fell in love and became celebrities for their daredevil and up-close approach to research.
"Katia and Maurice (Krafft) literally sacrificed their lives for their filmmaking," said Dosa.
"They died while attempting to capture a shot of a pyroclastic surge, which is one of the world's deadliest forces.
"But 'Fire of Love' is not about Katia and Maurice's deaths, it's about how they lived.
"And they lived in love with each other and with volcanoes."
Charlotte Wells won the best first-time feature award for "Aftersun," but did not attend, with Britain's BAFTAs due to take place in London less than 24 hours after the DGA gala.
The independent film stars Paul Mescal as a troubled, single Scottish father trying to reconnect with his young daughter on a summer holiday in Turkey.
On the television side, Bill Hader won his third DGA for directing "Barry," the dark hitman comedy in which he also stars.
The drama prize went to "Euphoria" director Sam Levinson, for the gritty HBO series about teenagers battling with addiction, infidelity and abuse, which stars Zendaya.
The movie season-capping Academy Awards take place this year on March 12.
A.Motta--PC