The writer-director of the silent film homage that is pretty consistently dominating this awards season beat out formidable competition that included Martin Scorsese (Hugo), Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris), David Fincher (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), and Alexander Payne (The Descendants).

Why is getting a DGA Award a big deal?  Well, because it's an honor given by an organization of professional peers, rather than a critics' organization, which is pretty cool.  In the context of the oh-so ostentatious awards season endgame, though, the DGA Award in the feature category is a big deal because it has only six times failed to correspond to the Best Director Academy Award.  And it's basically a truism that the film winning Best Director tends to win Best picture.

Here are all the winners, including Patty Jenkins, the erstwhile Thor 2 director who just a DGA Award for directing the pilot of AMC's The Killing.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2011

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary:

James Marsh, Project Nim

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series

Jon Cassar, The Kennedys

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series

Patty Jenkins, The Killing - "Pilot"

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series

Robert B. Weide, Curb Your Enthusiasm - "Palestinian Chicken"

Good to some love for Project Nim, a fascinating and affecting documentary from James Marsh, the guy behind the faultless Man on Wire.

Just last week, The Artist also took the big prize at the Producers Guild of America Awards.  We'll find out if the whole Oscars thing pans out when the Academy Awards go down on February 26th.