“I’m going to go back. I’m sorry. Okay, there was a mistake in this. I’ll keep going. Just keep scrolling,” a confused Robert De Niro claimed during the live ceremony of the Gotham Awards on Monday night.
De Niro was on hand to introduce the Gotham Historical Icon and Creator Tribute award on behalf of Killers of the Flower Moon. After a film clip was played, he told the crowd that part of his speech had been cut and went on to read the original script, after finding it on his phone.
“I just want to say one thing,” he said, doubling back. “The beginning of my speech was edited, cut out, and I didn’t know about it. And I want to read it” he said to the big crowd at Cipriani Wall Street and to loud applause.
“History isn’t history anymore. Truth is not truth. Even facts are being replaced by alternative facts and driven by conspiracy theories and ugliness " alluding to Trump’s lies over the years, particularly he referred to the fact that students in Florida were told that slaves developed skills for their own personal advantage. Adding: “Filmmakers, on the other hand — this is where I came in and I saw they edited all that.” That full sentiment was: “Filmmakers, on the other hand, at least aim for the truth. We are telling stories about real people. People we can relate to. We have no other agenda than to engage, enlighten and entertain. And through his films, Marty Scorsese has illuminated the lessons of history with fascinating and absorbing stories. He treats his subjects with honesty and respect, while he always has a point of view.”
De Niro, who has been vocal in his criticism of Trump in the past, then said he was supposed to thank the Gotham Awards and Apple, which produced the film, Killers of the Flower Moon – "But I don't feel like thanking them at all for what they did. How dare they do that actually?"
Apple did not respond to a request for comment and the Gotham organizers have not released an official statement yet.
/Alice Sagripanti
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