Cannes 2025 Video No. 1: Robert de Niro receives Ehrenpalme d'Or and advocates to protect democracy and art | Chaz in Cannes

The 2025 Cannes Film Festival is in progress, and Chaz Ebert is on site to report on any development, including its breakdown of the opening days of the festival and Robert de Niro's words when he received his palm of honor. Take a look at the video and read the transcript below.

The 78th edition of Cannes Film Festival has started and we are so happy to be back here in the south of France!

The sun shines brightly on a highly expected films, but everything that everyone can talk about on the street … In the cafés … and between the demonstrations, President Trump's threatened tariffs will have films that have been made outside of the USA. Nobody is quite sure how the effects will arise not only on American films, but the entire film industry all over the world.

As every year shortly before the festival began, the general delegate of the festival, her Sry Fürux, organized an introductory press conference. He described a question about tariffs and said it was too early to know what could happen to the industry. But he addressed a number of other topics, including the rise of AI in filmmaking, the importance of gender parity in the festival representation and why so many filmmakers are invited to Cannes year after year. Freman said the festival had a tradition of loyalty from decades. Although the majority of the films in Cannes comes from filmmakers for the first time, the festival continues to support recurring filmmakers like Darde Brothers and this year appears with “The Young Mothers' Home” at the festival at the festival.

The assessment of the Palmen d'Or competition this year will be a jury under the direction of Juliette Binoche. She was asked how she wanted to lead the jury as President.

“Yesterday evening when I came to bed, I thought what am I doing here? It's a kind of success because I went on the red carpet with a film by André Téchiné 40 years ago.

I feel grateful to everyone who have put together this festival. I am indeed very grateful. “

Director Payal Kapadia, whose film, everything we imagine, broke out in a large way as light last year, spoke about the importance of Cannes for the support of international films.

“To come here in Cannes and get the recognition. Then they all wrote that they would get the film out and that even the distribution in India was helped.

So that was a really big bonus for me. And I am currently working on two other films based on my city that is Mumbai. So a trilogy, but with different characters. It is a city that is complex and full of contradiction. And there is a lot to explore, and I have to get it out before I pass anything else. Thank you very much.”

Jeremy Strong Jeremy Strong, Oscar, nominated for his role as Roy Cohn in the Cannes entry in Cannes “The Apprentice” last year, was asked how he felt about the role of art and artists in today's world.

„Roy Cohn Ich sehe im Wesentlichen den Vorfahr von gefälschten Nachrichten und alternativen Fakten, und wir leben im Folgenden, von dem, was er meiner Meinung nach geschaffen hat, ich denke, dass diesmal die Wahrheit unter Körperverletzung ist, wo die Wahrheit zunehmend gefährdet wird, dass die Rolle der Geschichten, die Rolle der Geschichten, der Kino, der Kunst, und hier, aber hier speziell in diesem Tempel der Wahrheit der Wahrheit, die Wahrheit, die Wahrheit, The truth, the truth, the truth, its rod, the role of truth, its councils, the truth of the truth, its councils, the truth, its truth, its councils, the truth of truth, based on truth.

And it can communicate truths, individual truths, human truths, social truths and confirm and celebrate our common humanity. So I would say that what I do here this year in a way did a counterweight to what Roy Cohn was. “

I asked Halle Berry about her expectations for two weeks without a stop cinema in Cannes.

“Are there preparations? No, I don't think there is a preparation. And I think to be only in the film for 30 years, I think I have a unique perspective. We all do it. We all have a unique perspective. If we watch film, nobody has the truth.

And I look forward to listening to what everyone else has to say. This is the beauty that makes us human, that we are all different and that we see all things from our different cultural backgrounds, our family of origin, our age, our gender. And so I look forward to the conversations and really see what brings us together, but sometimes also the things that separate us because it is also beautiful. “

It was also asked about the recent changes to the red carpet rule, which expressly prohibit nudity and excessive clothes or long trains. This rule asked her to change her red carpet plans a little.

“But I had a great dress from Guppa tonight, and I can't wear because the train is too big, so of course I will follow the rules. So I had to make a pivot point. But the nude part, I think, is probably also a good rule.”

The first event of the festival on the red carpet led to the opening ceremony, in which the festival was a touching tribute to the recently deceased director David Lynch with photos from his life, clips from his career and a touching song by Mylène Farmer.

The legendary actor Robert de Niro was presented after a touching introduction by Leonardo DiCaprio, the lifelong palm of honor from Lifetime Achievement. De Niro thanked the community in Cannes, a community that he is grateful to be part of it. He also made some not so subtle comments on the current administration in Washington and how he believes that art and artists are attacked.

“In my country, we are fighting for democracy that we once considered a matter of course, and that affects all of us. This affects all of us here because the arts are democratic. Art is inclusive. It brings people together. As this evening, art is looking for truth. Art includes diversity. And that's why art is a threat. That is why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists.

All of these attacks are unacceptable. And that's not just an American problem. It is global. I like a film. We can't just lean back and watch. We have to act. And now we have to act without violence. But with great passion and determination. It is time for everyone who takes care of freedom, organize, protest. And if there are of course elections to coordinate this evening, and for the next 11 days we will show our strength and commitment by celebrating art in this glorious festival.

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité. “

After all, it was time to officially open the festival. And this job was done by Quentin Tarantino. In the most enthusiastic way I have ever seen in Cannes in Cannes.

“It is an honor to me … the 78th Festival of Cannes to be officially open!”

The opening film started the festival one day, the directorial debut of Amélie Bonnin. It is the story of a former top boss winner who shortly before the opening of her own gourmet restaurant, which is forced to return home to deal with the people and places where she grew up.

The film is an unlikely musical with reserved songs that have appeared when you expect it the least. I found it easy and pleasant. And I have to tell you that I couldn't get the last melody of the film out of my head.

This is all for the time being, but we're just starting! Accompany us next time when we fill it out in Cannes, including the early competitive demonstrations, a three-film event that is dedicated to the war, a new documentary about David Lynch, this year's immersive media competition and the latest mission: Impossible is coming. We will have all of this and get up a lot more. So take a look at our authors throughout the festival at Rogerebert.com together with our regular video views.

Until next time, au revoir!