The Artist picks up six Cesar awards

French director and screenwriter Michel Hazanavicius and French actress Berenice Bejo pose with their trophies for The Artist. (GETTY)

Silent film The Artist has won six awards including best picture, best actress and best director at France's answer to the Academy Awards.

Just two days before the Oscars, co-star Berenice Bejo and director Michel Hazanavicius took top honours at the Cesar awards.

Best actor honours went to Omar Sy, star of the blockbuster feel-good movie Intouchables (Untouchable).

He notably beat The Artist star Jean Dujardin who won the category at Cannes, the Golden Globes and the Baftas - and is among the best-actor nominees at the Oscars.