Robert Zemeckis Wins Top Award From Director’s Guild for ‘Forrest Gump’

“Forrest Gump” director Robert Zemeckis won the top award from the Director’s Guild of America on Saturday night.

Zemeckis beat out the directors of such critical hits as “Pulp Fiction” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral.”

The prize was announced at a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis hotel in New York and was presented to Zemeckis later Saturday in Los Angeles at a second ceremony.

The Director’s Guild award often is an indicator of who will win the Academy Award for best director. The Oscar ceremony is scheduled for March 27.

“Forrest Gump,” starring Tom Hanks as a good-hearted simpleton who becomes a hero, has received 13 Academy Award nominations.

The evening’s expected big draw, Robert Redford, was a no-show due to illness.

Redford was nominated for “Quiz Show.”

The other nominees for best director were Frank Darabont for “The Shawshank Redemption; Mike Newell for “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and Quentin Tarantino for “Pulp Fiction.”