Nostalgia rules as silent movie takes home five Oscars

The Oscars were a safe, predictable affair, with the winners who’ve heard their names throughout awards season being called up on stage one last time.

Nostalgia ruled, with the classic film homages The Artist and Hugo dominating with five awards each, Meryl Streep winning her first best-actress prize in nearly three decades and longtime favourite Billy Crystal returning as host.

The Artist, a black-and-white love letter to silent film, won best picture, best director for France’s Michel Hazanavicius and best actor for Jean Dujardin as an actor who finds his career in danger with the arrival of the talkies. It is the first silent film to win best picture since Wings in 1929.