Hollywood actor Robert De Niro has used his award acceptance speech at the Cannes Film Festival to criticize US President Donald Trump.
De Niro, 81, was receiving the Palme d’Or lifetime achievement award at the event in the south of France on Tuesday when he called Trump a “philistine president.”
“In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted,” said De Niro to an audience including some of the biggest names in showbiz.
“That affects all of us here, because the arts are democratic, art is inclusive and brings people together, like tonight. Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity, and that’s why art is a threat,” added De Niro, who is an outspoken critic of the US president.
“That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists. America’s philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions (the Kennedy Center). He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities and education,” he continued.
De Niro also took aim at Trump’s reported plan to impose tariffs on movies produced outside the US
“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,” he said.
“And this isn’t just an American problem, it’s a global one. Unlike a film, we can’t just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now,” said De Niro.
He ended his speech with a call for people to stand up to Trump “without violence, but with great passion and determination.”
“It’s time for everyone who cares about liberty to organize, to protest and when there are elections, of course, to vote. Vote,” said De Niro.
“Tonight, and for the next 11 days, we show our strength and commitment by celebrating art in this glorious festival. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.”
De Niro starred in a campaign ad for former US President Joe Biden in May 2024 and has criticized Trump on multiple previous occasions, including call him a “clown.”
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