Robert De Niro calls for protest against ‘philistine’ Trump as Cannes Film Festival takes off

Hollywood icon Robert De Niro lambasted ‘philistine’ US President Donald Trump and his proposed film tariff at the Cannes Film Festival’s opening ceremony, where he used his lifetime achievement award speech to call for protests.

The 81-year-old actor shared the stage at the plush Grand Theatre Lumiere with fellow Oscar-winning superstars like Halle Berry, Juliette Binoche and Quentin Tarantino to accept the award from longtime collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio.

Trump “has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities and education. And now he has announced the 100 per cent tariff on films produced outside the US,” said De Niro, known for films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and more recently Killers of the Flower Moon. “You can’t put a price on creativity, but apparently, you can put a tariff on it,” said De Niro, who called on ‘everyone who cares about liberty’ to protest against Trump.

Officially open

Tarantino, the US director who launched his career at Cannes, officially opened the festival, which now runs until May 24, with a mic drop before audiences settled in for the opening film, French comedy Leave One Day.

Eva Longoria, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda and US director Sean Baker — who won the festival’s top Palme d’Or prize last year for Anora — were seen on the red carpet ahead of the festival.

German model Heidi Klum wore a pink flower petal-esque gown that trailed quite a ways behind her, but apparently not long enough to have her denied entry onto the red carpet after organisers changed the dress code recently to ban nudity and over-the-top trains.

Red & blue

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia on Tuesday made an appearance for a photocall at the opening ceremony as part of the prestigious gala’s jury panel. This marks Kapadia’s return to Cannes a year after she charted history as the first Indian director to win the Grand Prix for her debut feature film All We Imagine As Light, a joint India and France production. Kapadia chose a blue blouse and a red asymmetrical skirt ensemble by designer Payal Khandwala, who also dressed the director for her appearance on the red carpet of the Golden Globes 2025 ceremony earlier this year. — Agencies

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