Kathryn Bigelow won the top Directors Guild of America award Saturday for her Iraq drama "The Hurt Locker," becoming the first woman to do so and beating out ex-husband James Cameron and his blockbuster "Avatar."

The winner of the DGA's best director award often goes on to win the Oscar for that category. Oscar nominations are due Tuesday, Feb. 2nd.

Bigelow, 58, is on a winning streak, having picked up critics awards on both coasts and been nominated by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for best director.

She said she was "honored and awed" by the DGA award.

Cameron won the Golden Globe for best director, while "Hurt Locker" took home the top prize at the Screen Actor Guild awards.

The other contenders for best director in the feature film category were Lee Daniels, director of "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"; Jason Reitman for "Up in the Air"; and Quentin Tarantino for "Inglourious Basterds."

On the TV side, Lesli Linka Glatter won for "Mad Men" in the drama category, and Jason Winer for "Modern Family" in the comedy category.

Carl Reiner emceed the 62nd annual awards show at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.

During the ceremony, Norman Jewison was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Motion Picture Directing; Cleve Landsberg with the Frank Capra Achievement Award; and Maria Jimenez Henley with the Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award.