Michel Hazanavicius Beats Martin Scorsese To Directing Oscar

Michel Hazanavicius, the French filmmaker behind 'The Artist', won the Oscar for Best Director at the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday (26 February 2012). Michel fended off stiff competition from Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Alexander Payne.

After receiving his award from presenter Michael Douglas, Michel said during his acceptance speech, "Yes, thank you, I forgot my speech.I am the happiest director in the world right now.I want to thank the cast.all of you.I want to thank the people who helped that movie. Since this movie has been made.it brings to us joy and happiness". The director is married to The Artist actress Berenice Bejo and the couple have two children together. Though it's not clear whether he will begin making films in the U.S. following his success with The Artist, the director told Collider back in November, "I have some things in the works but nothing concrete yet. It will be something from today's era, I think".

The Oscar marks a remarkable rise to fame for the French filmmaker, who was previously best known for his light-hearted spy comedy parodies 'OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies' and 'OSS 117: Lost in Rio', both of which star The Artist's Jean Dujardin.