Hollywood star Robert De Niro harshly criticized US President Donald Trump as a "philistine" while receiving a lifetime achievement award at the Cannes Film Festival.

The 81-year-old actor said that "in my country, we are fighting with all our might for the democracy we once took for granted" against "the philistine for president of America."

De Niro, a fierce and long-time critic of his fellow New Yorker Trump, said the president's drastic cuts to arts and education funding were deliberate.

"Because art is the melting pot that brings people together... Art seeks truth. Art embraces diversity. That's why art is a threat. That's why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists," he added.

The star of "Taxi Driver" and "Goodfellas" criticized Trump for his threats to impose tariffs on films "produced in foreign countries."

"And now he's announced a 100 percent tariff on film production outside America. You can't put a price on creativity. But apparently you can put a tariff on it. Of course, all these attacks are unacceptable. This isn't just an American problem, it's a global problem," he added.

"We can't just sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now," he urged.

The Hollywood legend broke down in tears when his friend Leonardo DiCaprio presented him with the honorary Palme d'Or award.

Di Caprio thanked De Niro for recommending him to Martin Scorsese, who has since made six films with the star, from "Gangs of New York" to "Killers of the Flower Moon." | BGNES