Robert De Niro to receive an Honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes

Plus the full list of his movie at Cannes

Everyone’s favourite anti-hero is getting a major award at Cannes. Robert De Niro will be in town again, this time to receive an honorary Palme d’Or at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

De Niro needs no introduction. He is known to be the favorite actor of many actors, as well as a strong draw at the box office.

Best-known for his portrayal of hard-boiled criminals, he was first noticed in Martin Scorsese’s first critical success, Mean Streets. This set the frame for many other movies with stories that sprang from Scorsese and De Niro’s familiarity with the gangster scene in New York.

He is known to be a particularly detailed actor. He learned to play the saxophone for New York, New York, took up boxing and gained 30 kilos for Raging Bull, for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor (one of his many awards).

In 1984, the English girl group Bananarama's fan song "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." reached the third place of the UK Singles Chart, remaining on the charts for 12 weeks.

Known to be publicity-shy outside his work, he nonetheless worked hard to get The King of Comedy to the screen. It was a role that had a surprising reprise in Joker (2019).

Robert De Niro will receive the Honorary Palme d’or of the Festival de Cannes on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, during the opening ceremony.

The following day, on Wednesday May 14, he will feature in a masterclass on the stage of the Debussy Theatre.

Robert De Niro and the Festival de Cannes: A timeline

1973: Mean Streets

1983: The King of Comedy

1984: Once Upon a Time in New York. The theatrical cut, with a runtime of 229 minutes, premiered at the 1984 Festival and received a 15-minute standing ovation.

2008: What Just Happened, a satirical comedy based on Art Linson's experiences as a producer in Hollywood screened as an out-of-competition entry.

2011: President of the jury (winner, The Tree of Life, dir: Terrence Malick).

2023: Killers of the Flower Moon (directed by Scorsese).

2025: Honorary Palme d’Or.