Kathryn Bigelow made Hollywood history last night becoming the first female filmmaker to win the Best Director Oscar as her war drama The Hurt Locker dominated the 82nd Academy Awards.

The two major categories of Best Picture and Best Director were a two horse race between the $300 million Avatar — directed by Bigelow’s ex-husband James Cameron — and the $11 million Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker. In fact, Hurt Locker collected six gongs Best Picture, Director Original Screenplay for Mark Boal, Editing, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing.

Bigelow, who credits film critics with rising public interest in her independently-produced hit, encourages aspiring young filmmakers to “never give up on your dream.”