CANNES, France (Reuters) - Austrian director Michael Haneke won the Cannes film festival's top honor, the Palme d'Or, on Sunday with "Love" (Amour), his acclaimed tale of an elderly couple facing the inescapable, yet no less tragic march of death.

Haneke joins an elite group of two-time winners at the world's biggest film festival after his "The White Ribbon" won in 2009.

For a look at the 2012 Cannes lineup click here: http://link.reuters.com/vav28s

(Reporting By Mike Collett-White and Alexandria Sage)