Last year the Golden Globes named Richard Linklater best film director, only to see its pick up-ended when the Oscars rolled around and Alejandro González Iñárritu won for Birdman. This year, it looks like the Hollywood Foreign Press Association isn't taking any chances, giving Iñárritu the Best Director, Motion Picture award for The Revenant.

The production for The Revenant was famously troubled, running into problems not just due to the brutal shooting conditions but, according to various reports, the demanding nature of Iñárritu himself. The director gave a glancing reference to the problems when accepting the award, thanking the producers for never shying away from tough decisions and applauding star Leonardo DiCaprio for his commitment to the role. The Revenant is still up for several awards tonight, and depending on how the rest of the night plays out this could be the beginning of a wave of momentum that helps sway Oscar voters into bringing Iñárritu back to the stage at the Dolby Theater for another year, as well as get DiCaprio the Academy Award he's no doubt hoping for.