During the Cannes 2025 opening ceremony, De Niro slammed Trump while accepting the Palme d’Or, warning against censorship, tariffs and threats to art

Much of the cinema world, including Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Quentin Tarantino, descended on the Cannes Film Festival as the French Riviera extravaganza got its 78th edition underway. Expectations are running high for a potentially banner Cannes. All of the ingredients - loads of stars, top-tier filmmakers, political intrigue - seem to be lined up.

Over the next 12 days, Cannes will play host to megawatt premieres including those of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest and Ari Aster’s Eddington. DiCaprio skirted the red carpet but drew a standing 

ovation when he presented De Niro with an honorary Palme d’Or on Tuesday. 

The moment, which brought together two of Martin Scorsese’s most regular stars, came 49 years after Taxi Driver was crowned with the Palme d’Or.

DiCaprio praised De Niro as “the archetype” actor, while also praising the 81-year-old performer - a fierce critic of US President Donald Trump - for “fighting for our democracy.” When the crowd rose to its feet for a lengthy ovation for De Niro, DiCaprio handed him the Palme. “Thanks, kiddo,” said De Niro. After thanking the festival, De Niro quickly turned to speaking about Trump, who recently said he wants to enact a tariff on films made outside the country. “Art is the truth. Art embraces diversity. And that’s why art is a threat to the autocrats and the fascists of the world,” said De Niro. 

“America’s philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of America’s premier cultural institutions. 

He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities and education. And now he announced a 100 per cent tariff on films made outside the United 

States. You can’t put a price on connectivity.”