Robert De Niro to Receive Honorary Palme d’Or at 78th Cannes Film Festival

Legendary actor, director, and producer Robert De Niro will be awarded the Honorary Palme d’or at the opening ceremony of the 78th Festival de Cannes on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, recognizing a lifetime of groundbreaking contributions to cinema. The tribute marks a significant return to the Croisette, 14 years after De Niro presided over the festival’s Jury in 2011.

“I have such close feelings for Festival de Cannes,” De Niro remarked. “Especially now when there’s so much in the world pulling us apart, Cannes brings us together — storytellers, filmmakers, fans, and friends. It’s like coming home.”

From his early collaborations with Brian De Palma to his storied partnership with Martin Scorsese, De Niro has left an indelible mark on the history of film. His breakthrough role in Mean Streets (1973) launched a long and fruitful creative alliance with Scorsese, producing iconic works such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, and Goodfellas. His performance as the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974) earned him an Oscar and redefined the art of cinematic transformation.

De Niro's ties to Cannes run deep. He has starred in multiple films that debuted at the festival, including Palme d’or winner Taxi Driver (1976), Bertolucci’s 1900, Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America, and Joffé’s The Mission. In 1983, The King of Comedy opened the festival, showcasing De Niro’s fearless approach to fame and obsession. A decade later, he returned as a director with A Bronx Tale, exploring themes of community, violence, and family.

Through the 1990s and 2000s, De Niro continued to evolve, blending gravitas with comedic timing in films like Meet the Parents and Jackie Brown, while also nurturing new talent through TriBeCa Productions. He co-founded the TriBeCa Film Festival in 2002 as a response to 9/11, reaffirming his dedication to cinema as a force for healing and dialogue.

Most recently, De Niro reunited with Scorsese in Killers of the Flower Moon, which premiered in Cannes in 2023, reaffirming the duo’s enduring impact on the cinematic landscape. His role in Joker (2019) once again showcased his commitment to exploring the darker corners of American life.

In addition to receiving the Honorary Palme d’or, De Niro will take part in a public masterclass on Wednesday, May 14, at the Debussy Theatre, offering festival-goers a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from one of cinema’s most revered figures.

As Cannes continues to celebrate the power of storytelling in uncertain times, De Niro’s presence is a reminder of the enduring spirit of the seventh art — uniting past, present, and future under the lights of the Palais.