Ben Affleck's Iran hostage drama "Argo" won the coveted best film Oscar late Sunday, while Daniel Day-Lewis took a record third best actor prize at the 85th Academy Awards, Hollywood's biggest night.

French star and newly-registered Russian citizen Gerard Depardieu was Monday visiting his "friend" the controversial Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, partying into the night and vowing to make a film about the Muslim region.

Anne Hathaway won an Oscar on her second nomination Sunday, confirming her status as one of Hollywood's brightest acting talents -- and an astonishingly powerful singer who "Dreamed a Dream."

Austrian director Michael Haneke finally got his due from Oscars voters when his "Amour" -- a searing tale of ageing, illness, death and dignity -- took home the award for best foreign film.

Taiwanese-born Ang Lee was the first Asian ever to win an Oscar for directing, in 2006 for gay cowboy movie "Brokeback Mountain." Seven years later he has done it again with 3D fantasy "Life of Pi."

Taiwan basked in reflected glory Monday after film-maker Ang Lee won the best director Oscar for fantasy epic "Life of Pi", shot on the diplomatically isolated island where he was born.

Hackers have attacked Sri Lanka's media ministry by placing a documentary about alleged war crimes during the island's ethnic conflict on its website, an official said Monday.

"Searching for Sugar Man," about a singer whose musical star faded without a trace until he was rediscovered in South Africa, won the best documentary feature Oscar in Hollywood on Sunday.

British singer Adele won the best original song Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards on Sunday for James Bond movie theme tune "Skyfall".

Daniel Day-Lewis won a record third best actor Oscar late on Sunday, confirming his status as one of the finest actors of his generation, with an incredible range and astonishing attention to detail.

Taiwan basked in reflected glory Monday after film-maker Ang Lee won the best director Oscar for fantasy epic "Life of Pi", which he shot on the diplomatically isolated island where he was born.

Tinseltown's A-list stars offered up a healthy serving of old-school Hollywood glamour on the Oscars red carpet, with strapless gowns and pale colors most definitely in vogue.

Ben Affleck's Iran hostage crisis drama "Argo" won the coveted best film Oscar on Sunday at the climax of the 85th Academy Awards, Hollywood's biggest night which saw many movies honored.

Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" and "Les Miserables" won early Oscars Sunday at a musical show where the race for the top Academy Awards was on a knife-edge between frontrunners "Argo" and "Lincoln."

Oscars host Seth MacFarlane kicked off an unpredictable 85th Academy Awards show, with Iran hostage drama "Argo" vying to beat Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" on Hollywood's biggest night.

Tinseltown's A-list stars offered up a healthy serving of old-school Hollywood glamour on the Oscars red carpet, with strapless gowns and pale colors most definitely in vogue.

He stands only 13.5 inches (34 centimeters) tall and weighs just 8.5 pounds (3.85 kilos) -- but Oscar, in all his bald gold-plated glory, is the holy grail of Hollywood.

Tinseltown's A-list stars offered up a healthy serving of old-school Hollywood glamour on the Oscars red carpet Sunday, with strapless gowns and pale colors most definitely in vogue.

Hollywood hit the red carpet Sunday for the Oscars, with Ben Affleck's Iran hostage drama "Argo" bidding to edge out Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" in one of the most open races in years.

Africa's biggest film festival Fespaco opened its 23rd edition in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou Sunday, with 101 films vying for the top Etalon d'Or prize.