Robert de Niro received the prestigious honorary Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement today during the opening ceremony of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, which will be held from May 13 to 24, 2025.
The legendary actor, director and producer was presented with the award by a younger colleague Leonardo DiCaprio.
In a statement on the occasion of the award, Robert De Niro said: "I have special feelings for the Cannes Film Festival... especially now, when there is so much in the world that divides us, Cannes brings us together: storytellers, directors, fans and friends. It's like coming home."
The festival was opened by the director Quentin Tarantino, and the president of the jury Juliet Binoche paid tribute to a Palestinian photographer Fatima Hasuni.
De Niro has already left a deep mark on Cannes: he chaired the festival's jury in 2011, and his name is inextricably linked to the festival's film history thanks to his iconic roles in Martin Scorsese's films.
He starred in "Taxi Driver" (1976), which won the Palme d'Or, as well as in "The King of Comedy", which opened the 1983 festival.
He recently returned to the Croisette with the film "Murder Under the Flower Moon" in another collaboration with Scorsese. The official statement from the festival organizers on the occasion of the awarding of the award to De Niro states: "There are faces that symbolize the seventh art and film lines that leave an indelible mark on the love of film. With his introspective style, reflected in a gentle smile or a sharp look, Robert de Niro has become a legend of cinema."
The day after the Palme d'Or award ceremony, on May 14, De Niro will hold a masterclass at the Debisi Theater, where he will meet with the audience and film professionals.
Honorary Palme d'Ors were awarded in 2024 Meryl Streep i George Lucas.
Robert de Niro began his career working with Brian de Palma on the films "The Wedding Party", "Greetings" and "Hi, Mom!", and gained worldwide fame in collaboration with Martin Scorsese, starting with the film "Mean Streets".
Their decades-long collaboration includes the film "Raging Bull," for which De Niro won an Oscar for best actor. Before that, he won an Oscar for best supporting actor in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather Part II."
De Niro's career includes collaborations with many major directors, including: Quentin Tarantino, Dejvid O. Rasel, Majkl Man, Harold Rejmis i Jay RochHe made his directorial debut in 1993 with the film "A Bronx Tale".
In addition to acting and directing, Robert De Niro founded the production company TriBeCa Productions in 1989 with Jane Rosenthal, and in 2002 they launched the TriBeCa Film Festival to help rebuild New York after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
His commitment to social issues is reflected not only in his political engagement, but also in the roles he chooses: from portraying organized crime, the collapse of institutions, and the trauma of war, to criticizing the entertainment industry and its impact on the individual.
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