The 78th edition of the French film festival kicked off with a starry ceremony on Tuesday evening that was attended by Hollywood stars, jury members, French dignitaries, and auteurs.
Robert De Niro, in Cannes to receive an honorary Palme d’Or during Tuesday night’s glitzy opening ceremony, used his time in the spotlight to defend democracy and take aim at America’s commander in chief.
“In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted. That affects all of us here, because art is the crucible that brings people together, like tonight. Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. That’s why art is a threat. That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists,” he said to applause inside the Grand Lumiére theater, with Leonardo DiCaprio standing over his shoulder after an affecting tribute to De Niro, his frequent collaborator.
De Niro didn’t hold back as he called out Trump’s recent policies:
“America’s Philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions [the Kennedy Center]. He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities, and education. And now he has announced a 100 percent tariff on films produced outside the U.S. Let that sink in,”
Robert De Niro accepts the honorary Palme d’Or from Leonardo DiCaprio during the opening ceremony at the 78th Cannes Film Festival at the Palais de Festival on May 13, 2025. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
De Niro continued, “You can’t put a price on creativity, but apparently you can put a tariff on it. Of course, this is unacceptable. All of these attacks are unacceptable. And this isn’t just an American problem, it’s a global one. Like a film, we can’t just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now.”
He emphasized the need for nonviolent resistance:
“It’s time for everyone who cares about liberty to organize, to protest, and when there are elections, vote. Vote. Tonight, and for the next 11 days, we show our strength and commitment by celebrating art in this glorious festival. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.”
De Niro received a lengthy standing ovation, and Leonardo DiCaprio—who credits De Niro for launching his acting career—delivered an emotional tribute before presenting the honorary Palme.
“Growing up in Los Angeles, every young actor I knew watched De Niro’s work. We studied him, trying to understand how he immersed himself so completely in his characters. He created the blueprint. He wasn’t just another great actor, he was the actor,” DiCaprio said.
De Niro accepts the honorary Palme d’Or from DiCaprio. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
He recalled their first encounter during auditions for This Boy’s Life:
“The audition process was a tough one. Lots of competition. None of us knew who would get the part. I did the only thing I could think of…I screamed at him at the top of my lungs,” DiCaprio said, noting that the room burst into laughter. Later that day, as the story goes, De Niro told a producer, “Second kid from the last”—and that kid was DiCaprio.
“If you know Bob, and I think many of you in this room do, you know he’s not someone who particularly enjoys being in the spotlight off camera,” DiCaprio added. “But every once in a while, even the most private of giants deserves their moment.”
After handing over the Palme d’Or, DiCaprio got more than a nod—De Niro gave him a hug.
