Leonardo DiCaprio presents De Niro with honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes 2025

Veteran actor Robert De Niro was honoured with the prestigious honorary Palme d'Or for Lifetime Achievement during the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival 2025 on Tuesday (May 13) evening. The award was presented by actor and longtime collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio.

The audience paid a heartfelt tribute to De Niro with a standing ovation as he received the accolade. Members of the festival jury also rose in applause, recognising the actor's monumental contribution to global cinema.

De Niro is a two-time Academy Award winner, having won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of young Vito Corleone in "The Godfather Part II" (1974), and Best Actor for his role as Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" (1980). 

He also received Oscar nominations for his performances in "Taxi Driver" (1976), "The Deer Hunter" (1978), "Awakenings" (1990), "Cape Fear" (1991), "Silver Linings Playbook" (2012), and "Killers of the Flower Moon" (2023).

DiCaprio and De Niro first shared the screen in "This Boy's Life" (1993), and reunited decades later in "Killers of the Flower Moon", which was screened in official selection at Cannes 2023.

Reflecting on the honour, De Niro stated, "I have such close feelings for Festival de Cannes… 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."

Announcing the accolade, the festival said, "There are faces that stand in for the seventh art, and lines of dialogue that leave an indelible mark on cinephilia. With his interiorised style, which surfaces in a gentle smile or a harsh gaze, Robert De Niro has become a cinematic legend."