The Big Five Compete for the Directors Guild Honor

The competition is intense this award season as the film greats line up to receive their dues. This Saturday, top film directors will be at odds for the top prize from the Directors Guild of America, an award which fairly consistently foreshadows an Oscar.

The big name to watch out for is Kathryn Bigelow, with The Hurt Locker, whom critics expect to score further points after taking home gold from the Producers Guild. Names to beat include Lee Daniels, who directed Precious, Quentin Tarantino with Inglorious Basterds, and Jason Reitman with his well-received drama, Up in the Air.

And, of course, there's James Cameron's little known science fiction flick, Avatar.

Bigelow has already successfully taken home several honors from the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, and Los Angeles Film Critics Association where The Hurt Locker butted heads with the same four DGA candidates.

Tensions are high as it is no little-known fact that the DGA winner has gone on to win the Academy Award for directing all but six times since 1948. What's more, the film that takes the Oscar for best director is all but a shoo-in for best picture.

If Avatar's raging success at the box office and Tarantino's massive fan following are any indicators, Bigelow will certainly have a run for her money come show time.