Campion said, "I'm so proud of you... I'm here because I also care about women who raise their voices."
Jane Campion applauded the breaking of Hollywood's glass ceiling as her film "The Power of the Dog" was named best film of the year by her fellow directors on Saturday - a huge accolade that historically brought Oscar glory. leads to.
Campion won the Directors Guild of America's top award for a Netflix adaptation of a Western novel about the toxic masculinity of sexually repressed cowboys, while sweeping away illustrious rivals at a Los Angeles gala, including Steven Spielberg.
Campion is the third woman to win a top Directors Guild of America award, after Kathryn Bigelow for 2008's "The Hurt Locker" and Chloe Zhao for "Nomadland" last year.
The New Zealand writer said it's common to hear of glass ceilings breaking during Hollywood awards season, and "maybe it's time to claim a sense of victory on that front."
"We've come so far and what's more, we're never going back," she said, before taking the top prize presented by last year's winner Zhao.
Campion said, "I'm so proud of you... I'm here because I also care about women who raise their voices."
Campion, who was first nominated for "The Piano" in 1994, reflected on earlier nights at a time when she was often "the only woman in the room".
“I remember feeling like an outsider when I was struggling to tell my stories, bringing dynamic stories to light from unexpected perspectives in a male-dominated field.”
Maggie Gyllenhaal wins Best Director for the first time for "The Lost Daughter," a drama about the challenges and taboos surrounding motherhood.
Gyllenhaal - by now primarily known as an actress in films such as "The Dark Knight" and "Secretary" - said that watching Campion's "The Piano" as a teenager "changed my life". "And aroused the desire one day straight away.
"I think it's one of the real reasons that I'm standing here and, ultimately, I've got enough bravery to say whatever I wanted to," Gyllenhaal said.
Read Next
- Prince Harry accused of ignoring ailing mentor and 'other father' by canceling UK tour
- Prince Harry getting ready for the Netherlands
- Tom Odell enthralls Ukrainian refugees at Romanian station
- Kate Hudson's yellow ensemble exudes major nostalgic vibes; just have a look
- Hailey Bieber stresses on 'the wonderful doctors and nurses who take care of me'!