Art set to Trump the president in Cannes

Leonardo DiCaprio presents Robert De Niro with his honorary Palme d’Or Photo: Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival

The opening of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival last night was a fairly muted affair with a first time French film Leave One Day, a musical comedy, kicking off proceedings. Although the cast, including Juliette Armanet as well as director Amélie Bonnin, looked the part it took the legendary Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio to bring some Hollywood chutzpah to the proceedings.

DiCaprio was presenting De Niro with his honorary Palme d’Or but this year’s mega star Tom Cruise (in town for the global launch of the latest Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning) was conspicuous by his absence. Instead we had Quentin Tarantino striding out alongside last year’s Palme d’Or winner Sean Baker (for Anora) and jury president Juliette Binoche and her cohorts including Jeremy Strong and Halle Berry.

Red carpet talent from the opening film Leave One Day just before the screening at the Cannes Film Festival Photo: Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival

De Niro, accepting his award, used the occasion to launch a salvo against President Donald Trump and his administration. He said: “We have to act now. Without violence, but with great passion and determination. It’s time for everyone who cares about liberty to organise, to protest, and when there are elections, of course to vote. Tonight, and for the next 11 days, we show our strength and commitment by celebrating art in this glorious festival.”

He added: "In my country, we’re fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted. And that affects all of us here because the arts are democratic. Art is inclusive. It 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.”

He admitted he had “close feelings” towards the the French festival. He added: "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.”

De Niro most recently starred in Levinson’s crime drama The Alto Knights, and received plaudits for his first major television role in Netflix’s political thriller Zero Day. He’s slated to lead Brad Furman’s action film Tin Soldier alongside Jamie Foxx and Scott Eastwood, as well as James Ashcroft’s crime movie The Whisper Man with Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott and Michael Keaton.

From left: Leonardo DiCaprio, Quentin Tarantino, Robert De Niro, Laurent Lafitte, Mylène Farmer and Juliette Binoche at the opening ceremony of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival Photo: Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival