Alejandro G Inarritu won the best director trophy at the 87th Academy awards for whimsical dark comedy Birdman Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).
The comedy is a first for Inarritu, 51, who is, otherwise, known for his serious dramas like Amores Perros, 21 Grams,Babel and Biutiful.
The director earlier won the Best Original Screenplay trophy that he shared with co-writers Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr and Armando Bo.
The film is a visually complex story that was shot mostly in long shots that were blended later to give the feeling of continuity and required maximum dedication from its actors, cinematographer and Inarritu.
"This is like a slow motion kind of moment in my life," Inarritu said in his acceptance speech.
Birdman tells the story of Riggon Thomson, a jaded movie star who is otherwise famous for having played superhero Birdman on-screen.
Thomson, still dying to achieve the critical acclaim that eluded him in his younger days, decides to mount an ambitious Broadway play but things take a bizarre turn when his superstar ego and self doubt collide.
The Mexican helmer was previously nominated for Best Director and picture in 2006 for Babel. Birdman's other win of the night was in cinematography.
Birdman was a long-gestating story that Inarritu decided to shoot when his project Revenant with Leonardo DiCaprio got delayed.
The actor is back to Revenant with DiCaprio with the film slated to release later this year. Set in the 19th century, the film is a gritty revenge thriller.
