**Cannes Film Festival Opens with Tribute to Robert De Niro and Focus on Global Conflicts**
The 78th Cannes Film Festival kicked off in France, honoring actor Robert De Niro with an honorary Palme d’Or award for his outstanding career achievements. This prestigious prize adds to his impressive collection, which includes an Oscar and accolades from the Venice and Berlin film festivals.
De Niro’s journey began 49 years ago with his breakthrough role in “Taxi Driver.” The audience at Cannes applauded as host Laurent Laffitt paid tribute to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose remarkable transformation from actor to wartime leader is featured in one of the festival’s documentaries. This highlight showcases the film’s ability to captivate audiences and inspire applause.
**Documentaries Shed Light on Global Conflicts**
The festival organizers chose to feature three Ukraine-focused documentaries on the opening day. These films aim to tell the story of a conflict that has been affecting the Ukrainian people and the world for three years already. “Zelenskyy” chronicles the Ukrainian president’s journey from actor to wartime leader, while “Our War” portrays the front lines near Pokrovsk and Sumy, where Ukrainian soldiers fight alongside French volunteers. Director Mstyslav Chernov’s documentary “2000 Meters to Andriivka” depicts the liberation of a village near Bakhmut.
**Comedy Opens Festival**
French director Amélie Bonnin’s comedy “Partir un jour” (“Leave One Day”) serves as the opening film, making her only the third woman to do so. The festival also paid attention to the Gaza conflict, with nearly 380 filmmakers and actors from around the world condemning what they called “silence” from the cultural world regarding the “genocide” in Gaza.
**Highlighting Global Issues**
The documentary “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” features Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, who died in an Israeli bombing in mid-April. This film highlights the importance of bringing attention to global issues through storytelling and cinema.
**Festival Schedule**
The 78th Cannes Film Festival runs from May 13 to May 24. A total of twenty-two films will compete for the Palme d’Or, selected from 2,909 submissions from 156 countries.
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