Titanic was the first James Cameron film to win him the Academy Award for Best Director.
Cameron received the Best Director Oscar at the 70th Academy Awards for directing Titanic. The award recognized his management of an exceptionally large production combining historical drama, romance, full-scale sets, practical effects, miniatures, and digital imagery.
Before Titanic, Cameron had directed major films including The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, and True Lies, but none brought him the directing Oscar. He later received another Best Director nomination for Avatar, though he did not win for that film.
Titanic’s directing victory formed part of its record-tying 11-Oscar haul. Cameron also accepted the Best Picture award as one of the film’s producers.