Seven years later , Hazanavicius wrote and directed his second feature , '' OSS 117 : Cairo , Nest of Spies '' , a parody of 1960s spy movies and specifically of OSS 117 , a popular character created by Jean Bruce in 1949 . The $ 17.5 million film was a modest box office success , with $ 23 million worldwide receipts . A sequel , '' OSS 117 : Lost in Rio '' , followed in 2009 . Both films were later distributed in the United States by Music Box Films . '' The Artist '' , a black and white film without dialogue which takes place in Hollywood on the eve of sound film , screened in competition at the 2011 Cannes International Film Festival . '' The Artist '' was later released to universal acclaim . On 24 January 2012 Hazanavicius received nominations for three Oscars : the Academy Awards for Best Director , Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing . Hazanavicius said winning an Oscar would be " like dreaming of going to the moon – you do n't really believe it could ever happen . " Hazanavicius won the Academy Award for Best Director for '' The Artist '' , at the 84th Academy Awards . He was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in June 2012 along with 175 other individuals
84th Academy Awards
84th Academy Awards
Michel Hazanavicius