Cannes 2025: Opening Ceremony, Robert De Niro awarded honorary Palme d'Or
Just Cinema Ph © Michele Illuzzi
The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival kicked off yesterday, drawing a star-studded crowd from across the global film industry, including legends like Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Quentin Tarantino.
This year’s festival began on Tuesday, marking the start of a 12-day celebration of cinema that will feature significant premieres, including Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, and Ari Aster’s Eddington.
Hollywood’s top stars are in full attendance. Robert De Niro, Quentin Tarantino, and Juliette Binoche were among those seen walking the red carpet for the opening ceremony. Leonardo DiCaprio, though present, chose not to join the red carpet crowd. Instead, he received a standing ovation as he presented De Niro with the honorary Palme d’Or. The two actors share a long history on screen, having first worked together in 1993 on This Boy's Life, directed by Michael Caton-Jones. They reunited in 1996 for Marvin’s Room, and after more than 25 years, they appeared together again in 2023 for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.
DiCaprio referred to De Niro as “the archetype actor,” praising the 81-year-old’s longstanding influence, including his outspoken political views, particularly his criticism of former U.S. President Donald Trump. As the audience applauded De Niro’s achievement, DiCaprio presented him with the prestigious award, to which De Niro responded with a casual “Thanks, kiddo.”
After expressing his gratitude to the festival, De Niro quickly pivoted to address his ongoing concerns about Trump’s administration, which recently proposed a tariff on foreign-made films. “Art is the truth. Art embraces diversity. And that’s why art is a threat to autocrats and fascists around the world,” De Niro declared.
“The philistine president of America has placed himself at the head of one of our country’s top cultural institutions. He’s slashed funding for the arts, education, and humanities. And now he wants to impose a 100% tariff on films produced outside the U.S. You can’t put a price on connectivity,” De Niro continued.
It was a lively and impactful opening day at the festival, setting a strong tone for the next few days.
Stefania Veneri
Just Cinema Ph © Michele Illuzzi
