Ben Affleck's Iran hostage drama 'Argo' rode to victory by taking home the Best Picture Oscar, the highest honour at the 85th Academy Awards while 'Life of Pi' helmer Ang Lee pulled off a surprise best director win over Steven Spielberg for his India-set drama.
Making an unprecedented appearance from White House through a video link, First Lady Michelle Obama helped actor Jack Nicholson present the final prize.
"I want to acknowledge the other great films that have as much right to be up here as we do and many of them who did not even get nominated this year," Affleck, 40, said as he sped through his speech.
Played out against the backdrop of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, 'Argo' spins the real account of a joint Hollywood-CIA mission to pull out six American diplomats from Tehran while posing as a fake movie crew.
Taiwan's Lee upset front-runner Spielberg to win his second Best Director Oscar for visually stunning 3D survival tale of an shipwrecked Indian boy lost in the ocean with a Bengal tiger.
"Thank you, movie god. Everybody who worked with me on Life of Pi. I want to thank you for believing in this story and share this incredible journey with me... Wonderful cast. Suraj, where are you? You're a miracle... Thank you, Xie xie, namaste," Lee said.
A five time Oscar nominee, Lee previously won the Oscar for his 2000 gay cowboy drama 'Brokeback Mountain'.
British actor Daniel Day-Lewis, 55, created history by winning his third Best Actor Oscar for bringing to life the 16th US President Abraham Lincoln in 'Lincoln'. His previous wins were for 'My Left Foot' in 1989 and 'There Will Be Blood' in 2007.
"I've received so much more than my fair share of good fortune in my life... At the apex of that human pyramid there are three men to whom I owe this and a great deal more: Tony Kushner, our beloved skipper Steven Spielberg and the mysteriously beautiful mind, body and spirit of Abraham Lincoln," said Day-Lewis in a gracious speech, acknowledging fellow nominees as "my equals, my betters".
Best Actress winner 22-year-old Jennifer Lawrence saw off competition from Jessica Chastain, Naomi Watts, oldest nominee Emmanuelle Riva, 86, and youngest nominee, 9-year Quvenzhane Wallis in one of the most closely contested category.
