Alejandro G. Inarritu has grabbed the Oscar for Best Director for "The Revenant" at the 88th Academy Awards taking place here on Sunday.
He was nominated alongside Adam McKay for "The Big Short"; George Miller for "Mad Max: Fury Road"; Lenny Abrahamson for "Room" and Tom McCarthy for "Spotlight".
"The Revenant", a revenge tale, features Leonardo DiCaprio braving icy elements to tell the 19th century survival tale about a fur trapper left for dead after being mauled by a bear.
During his acceptance speech, Inarritu said making the film "has been the most difficult journey that she has embarked myself."
"I have to say that it's not about the budget or the genre or the ambition or the size of the film. Every film is so difficult to make. But I have to tell that in my experience this has been the most difficult journey that I have embarked myself. But I was lucky to be saved and rescued by the incredible crew, cast, producers, that we struggled for so many months in low temperatures and very difficult conditions to make this film happen.
"Most importantly the cast, and the hero, Leo (Leonardo DiCaprio). You are the guy, you make(audio cuts out) the best experience of my life. The best in the world," he further added.
He closed his speech with a call to "make sure once and forever that the color of the skin becomes as irrelevant as the length of our hair."