Overview

• Robert De Niro received the honorary Palme d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, presented by Leonardo DiCaprio, and used his acceptance speech to denounce U.S. President Donald Trump.
• De Niro labeled Trump as 'America’s philistine president,' condemning his proposed 100% tariff on foreign films and cuts to arts, humanities, and education funding.
• He framed art as a threat to autocrats and fascists, emphasizing its role in embracing diversity and seeking truth, which he argued makes it vital to democracy.
• De Niro called for collective global action, urging people to organize, protest, and vote to defend democratic values and resist authoritarianism.
• The speech set a politically charged tone for the Cannes Film Festival, which continues with ongoing debates about political expression in cinema.