Los Angeles, Mar 13 (IANS): The first top honour at the Directors Guild of America's 74th annual DGA Awards went to Maggie Gyllenhaal, who picked up the prize for best first-time feature (making it her first-ever DGA nomination and award) for the Netflix film 'The Lost Daughter', reports 'Variety'.

The event was under way at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Saturday night (U.S. Pacific Time) with Judd Apatow on tap as host. The ceremony returns to an in-person event this year, having gone virtual in 2021, and is part of a busy weekend on the kudos gauntlet that also includes the BAFTA, Annie Awards and Critics Choice events.

In response to her award, 'Variety' reports, Gyllenhaal said: "I really am moved, ultimately I got brave enough to say what I wanted."

The actress and filmmaker noted the awkward situation where she's not a member of the DGA, for she has helmed just one film. "But I want to be!" she said. Gyllenhaal added that she knows applicants need two sponsors in order to join -- one of whom, she asked, on the spot from the stage, was Steven Spielberg.

The other will be her father, director Stephen Gyllenhaal, who was in attendance on Saturday.