Winners at 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - Silent romance The Artist won five Oscars on Sunday including best film, and Martin Scorsese's Hugo also took five of the world's top movie honours on a night where stories about movies felt the love of Hollywood.

The Artist, a black-and-white tale of a fading star who finds redemption through romance in the era when silent movies were overtaken by talkies, added to its best film victory with Oscars for its French star Jean Dujardin and director Michel Hazanavicius, as well for musical score and costume design.

'I am the happiest director in the world right now. Thank you for that,' Hazanavicius told the audience of stars including George Clooney, Michelle Williams, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Dujardin was equally excited, exclaiming 'I love this country' before thanking the Academy, fellow filmmakers and his wife and recalling silent actor Douglas Fairbanks as an inspiration.