It was likely just a formality at this point, but director Damien Chazelle (at the ripe age of 32) was named Best Director from the Directors Guild of America (DGA) on Saturday night for his contemporary musical La La Land. Chazelle’s win is notable – not just because of his youth – but because the DGA acknowledgement is historically very correlative of what will win the Academy Award for Best Picture. La La Land‘s massive success this season – which includes 7 Golden Globe wins and a record-tying 14 Oscar nominations – have already signaled the Ryan Gosling-Emma Stone tuner is the film to beat this season. Chazelle’s win is further indication. Also notable is Garth Davis’ mention in the First-Time Director category (one that’s only two years old) for his directorial debut Lion. Davis won this prize the same night that Lion earned a surprise win from the American Society of Cinematographers, which perhaps may indicate the film is more than resonating within the industry – could the film surprise in a few category come Oscar evening?

Check out the winners below:

DIRECTOR: Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Nominees:

• Garth Davis, Lion
• Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
• Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
• Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

FIRST-TIME DIRECTOR: Garth Davis, Lion

Nominees:

• Kelly Fremon Craig, The Edge of Seventeen
• Tim Miller, Deadpool
• Nate Parker, The Birth of a Nation
• Dan Trachtenberg, 10 Cloverfield Lane

DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR: Ezra Edelman, O.J.: Made in America

Nominees:

• Otto Bell, The Eagle Huntress
• Josh Kreigman, Elyse Steinberg, Weiner
• Raoul Peck, I Am Not Your Negro
• Roger Ross Williams, Life, Animated