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At Cannes film festival: Robert De Niro speaks out against Trump and dictatorship, more opposition to Gaza genocide and Kevin Spacey denounces blacklisting

Against the background of the glitter and glare of its red carpet ceremonies, this year’s Cannes film festival began with a number of powerful statements by actors and directors identifying the extreme threats to democratic rights worldwide at the hands of dictatorial regimes. A mood of social rebellion is touching this milieu too, unlike anything since the late 1960s.

Honorary Palme d’Or recipient Robert De Niro appears during the opening ceremony of the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. [AP Photo/Joel C. Ryan]

On May 13, veteran actor Robert De Niro was awarded the festival’s prestigious Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement. In his short speech to the assembled guests, De Niro slammed Donald Trump and stressed the dangers posed by the current US administration.

Describing Trump as a “philistine president,” De Niro emphasised the key role played by the arts and culture, declaring: “In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted.” He continued:

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. That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists.

Noting that Trump had appointed himself head of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, De Niro denounced the cuts to funding and support to the arts, humanities and education that have taken place in the past few months. He also lambasted Trump’s plans to impose a 100 percent tariff on movies produced outside the US: “You can’t put a price on creativity, but apparently you can put a tariff on it … this is unacceptable. All of these attacks are unacceptable.”

Arguing that “this isn’t just an American problem, it’s a global one,” De Niro issued a call for action: “Unlike a film, we can’t just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now.”

While declaring that protests and opposition should be undertaken “without violence, but with great passion and determination,” De Niro finished his speech by recalling the revolutionary slogans of the French Revolution—“Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.”

De Niro’s contribution was met with tumultuous applause from the audience. It can be followed here.

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