Cannes, France – May 14, 2025: “You can’t put a price on creativity — but apparently, you can put a tariff on it.” Robert De Niro’s thunderous Palme d’Or acceptance speech wasn’t just about art — it was a global call to arms for democracy.
Hollywood legend Robert De Niro took center stage at the 78th Cannes Film Festival not just to accept the honorary Palme d’Or — but to unleash a fiery political tirade against Donald Trump, branding the former U.S. president “a philistine” and warning the world not to sit idly by.
“In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted,” said the 81-year-old actor, his words echoing across a festival already shadowed by scandal and censorship.
De Niro, long known for his outspoken criticism of Trump, used the Cannes spotlight to condemn the former president’s cultural policies — including his self-appointment as chair of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the recently announced 100% tariff on films made outside the U.S.
“Let that sink in for a minute,” De Niro said, pausing. “You can’t put a price on creativity, but apparently you can put a tariff on it.”
De Niro called for urgent, non-violent action — urging artists and citizens worldwide to stand up for freedom and vote. “This isn’t just an American problem, it’s a global one,” he said. “We have to act, and we have to act now.”
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His speech added a jolt of real-world urgency to the glitz of Cannes, which this year has faced controversy of its own. French actor Gérard Depardieu was recently convicted of sexual assault on a film set, casting a dark cloud over the festival. Cannes has also introduced a controversial new “decency code,” banning nudity and voluminous outfits on the red carpet.
Still, De Niro’s speech proved the biggest headline of the night — his legacy now tied not just to cinema, but to resistance.
The honorary Palme d’Or was presented by Leonardo DiCaprio, De Niro’s co-star in Killers of the Flower Moon. The festival runs until Sunday, May 25 on the French Riviera.
