Love, the wrenching tale of an elderly Parisian caring for his dying wife, scooped top prize in Cannes on Sunday, handing a second Palme d’Or in three years to Austria’s Michael Hane-ke.

Silent movie The Artist shone at home on Friday, netting best film and a string of other awards at France’s annual Cesars, held two days before the Oscars in which the black-and-white film is a top favourite.