Organisers stressed they want to avoid politics and focus on the films, but this year's inclusion of movies from Gaza, Ukraine and Iran, and Trump's tariff announcement shortly before the festival, has put more focus on the world outside Cannes.
Binoche, the head of this year's jury, used her speech to pay tribute to Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza and is the subject of a documentary to be shown at Cannes.
Tarantino, the US director who launched his career at Cannes, officially opened the festival, which runs until May 24, with a mic drop before audiences settled in for the opening film, the French comedy Leave One Day.
US actor Eva Longoria, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda and US director Sean Baker, who won the festival's top Palme d'Or prize last year for Anora, were seen on the red carpet ahead of the festival.
German model Heidi Klum wore a pink flower petal-esque gown that trailed behind her, but apparently not long enough to have her denied entry on the red carpet after organisers changed the dress code recently to ban nudity and over-the-top trains.
Berry, who is also on this year's jury, was wearing a black-and-white gown without a train on the red carpet after she said earlier on Tuesday she had to switch her outfit choice at the last minute due to the updated dress code.
Reuters
Robert De Niro calls for protest against ‘philistine’ Trump as Cannes opens
Image: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Hollywood icon Robert De Niro lambasted “philistine” US President Donald Trump on Tuesday and his proposed film tariff at the Cannes Film Festival's opening ceremony, where he used his lifetime achievement award speech to call for protests.
The 81-year-old actor shared the stage at the plush Grand Theatre Lumiere with fellow Oscar-winning superstars Halle Berry, Juliette Binoche and Quentin Tarantino to accept the award from longtime collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio.
Trump “has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities and education. Now he has announced the 100% tariff on films produced outside the US,” said De Niro, known for films including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and more recently Killers of the Flower Moon.
“You can't put a price on creativity, but apparently you can put a tariff on it,” said De Niro, who called on “everyone who cares about liberty” to protest against Trump.
Cannes Film Festival 2025: red carpet restrictions, Oliver Hermanus’s official selection and more
Organisers stressed they want to avoid politics and focus on the films, but this year's inclusion of movies from Gaza, Ukraine and Iran, and Trump's tariff announcement shortly before the festival, has put more focus on the world outside Cannes.
Binoche, the head of this year's jury, used her speech to pay tribute to Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza and is the subject of a documentary to be shown at Cannes.
Tarantino, the US director who launched his career at Cannes, officially opened the festival, which runs until May 24, with a mic drop before audiences settled in for the opening film, the French comedy Leave One Day.
US actor Eva Longoria, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda and US director Sean Baker, who won the festival's top Palme d'Or prize last year for Anora, were seen on the red carpet ahead of the festival.
German model Heidi Klum wore a pink flower petal-esque gown that trailed behind her, but apparently not long enough to have her denied entry on the red carpet after organisers changed the dress code recently to ban nudity and over-the-top trains.
Berry, who is also on this year's jury, was wearing a black-and-white gown without a train on the red carpet after she said earlier on Tuesday she had to switch her outfit choice at the last minute due to the updated dress code.
Reuters
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