Damien Chazelle has won the best director Oscar for La La Land, making him the youngest ever, at 32 years and 38 days, to win the award.
Chazelle was the strong favourite for the prize, though he faced tough competition in a lineup that included Manchester by the Sea director Kenneth Lonergan and Moonlight director Barry Jenkins. The previous youngest was Norman Taurog, who won for Skippy at the age of 32 years and 260 days in 1931.
La La Land, which stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as wannabe stars in a Hollywood-set musical, is Chazelle’s third film as a director, after 2009’s Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench and 2014’s Whiplash; the latter won two major awards at the Sundance film festival and three Oscars, including best supporting actor for JK Simmons.
Chazelle had already won a string of directing awards for La La Land, including best director at the Golden Globes and the Baftas, and the outstanding directorial achievement award from the Directors Guild of America.
