Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has won the director Oscar for Birdman, his ground-breaking comedy-drama exploring inner voices and the desperation of acting. The Mexican director won over Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel, Richard Linklater for Boyhood, Bennett Miller for Foxcatcher and Morten Tyldum for The Imitation Game.

Linklater and Boyhood had been regarded as the awards-season front-runners until recent weeks. The unique nature of Birdman, with its long takes and intensity, has elevated the status of the latter.