After a brief period of silence—apparently requested by Netflix to coincide with the launch of the series Zero Day—Robert De Niro has returned to fiercely criticizing Donald Trump, using the Cannes Film Festival and his acceptance speech for the honorary Palme d’Or on Tuesday evening as his platform.
During the opening ceremony of the 78th edition of the festival in France, the 81-year-old actor stated that Trump’s re-election poses a global threat. “In my country, we are fighting like hell to defend the democracy we once took for granted. And that affects all of us here, because art is democratic. Art is inclusive, it brings people together, like tonight. Art seeks truth, it embraces diversity. That’s why art is a threat, we are a threat to autocrats and fascists.” The festival erupted in applause.
De Niro then commented on Trump’s surprise announcement ten days ago that he would impose a 100% tariff on films produced outside the United States.
“America’s philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions”—the Kennedy Center, De Niro said. “He’s cut funding and support to the arts, humanities, and education. And now he’s announced 100% tariffs on films produced outside the US. Let that sink in for a minute. 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. But unlike a film, we can’t just sit back and watch.”
De Niro concluded his speech—brief, concise, and impassioned—with a call to action, “we have to act now, without violence, but with great passion and determination.”
“It’s time for everyone who cares about liberty to organize,” he said, “to protest, and when there are elections—of course to vote. Vote. Tonight, and for the next eleven days, we show our strength and commitment by celebrating art at this glorious festival. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.”
Leonardo DiCaprio presented De Niro with the award prior to the screening of the evening’s opening film—the French comedy Partir Un Jour. De Niro served as jury president at the festival in 2011 and has long been a regular on the Croisette. Some of his most iconic films premiered at Cannes, including Mean Streets by Martin Scorsese in 1973 and Once Upon a Time in America by Sergio Leone in 1984.
Quentin Tarantino then officially declared the festival open, with this year’s jury presided over by French actress Juliette Binoche.
