Cannes 2025: Emotional Robert De Niro Kisses Leonardo DiCaprio As He Accepts Palme d'Or; Slams 'Philistine President' Donald Trump in Bold Speech
Robert De Niro accepts the honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes 2025 from Leonardo DiCaprio. He strongly criticised President Donald Trump in his speech.
By ETV Bharat Entertainment Team
Published : May 14, 2025 at 10:20 AM IST
Hyderabad: Robert De Niro received the honorary Palme d'Or for Lifetime Achievement at the opening night of Cannes Film Festival 2025. Leonardo DiCaprio, who had worked alongside De Niro for many years, handed the award to the veteran actor. As Robert stepped onto the Cannes stage, emotion swept over him. The legendary actor was visibly moved, his eyes glistening as he made his way toward longtime friend Leonardo DiCaprio. In a heartfelt moment, De Niro embraced and kissed DiCaprio before receiving the honorary Palme d'Or.
Fighting back tears, he paused at the center of the stage, visibly overwhelmed, as the entire audience and jury rose to their feet in a powerful standing ovation. DiCaprio and De Niro have been friends for thirty years and the two had previously worked together on This Boy's Life (1993). Their most recent collaboration, Killers of the Flower Moon, made its global premiere at Cannes Festival 2023. Their camaraderie was on full display during the ceremony as DiCaprio hugged De Niro when he handed the award to him.
De Niro, 81, has had an impressive career in film and television. He has won two Academy Awards, one for The Godfather Part II (1974) and the other one for Raging Bull (1981), whereas had received nominations for Taxi Driver (1976), The Deer Hunter (1978), and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). De Niro was referred to by the jury as a "cinema legend," particularly known for "deeply expressive performances."
In his acceptance speech, De Niro used the global stage to criticise U.S. President Donald Trump. He called Trump a "philistine president" and accused him of undermining democracy and the arts. "In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted," De Niro said, adding, "That affects all of us here because the arts are democratic."
He condemned Trump's decision to impose a 100 percent tariff on foreign films and to cut support for arts and education. "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 is 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 quipped.
The actor called on people around the world to take action - not with violence, but with determination. "Organise, protest, and vote," he urged, ending with the French motto, "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité." The 2025 Cannes Film Festival began on May 13 and will run until May 24.
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