Robert de Niro to Be Honored at the Hollywood Film Festival

The Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Awards, presented by Starz, have announced that two time Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro will be honored with the "Hollywood Actor Award" at the festival's Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony for his performance in Miramax Films' Everybody's Fine.

The gala ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on October 26, 2009.

The announcement was made today by Carlos de Abreu, Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Film Festival.

"Robert De Niro is an American icon. Not only is he highly regarded for his body of work as an actor, producer and director, but also for the passion, integrity and dedication he brings to his performances on camera, as well as his intense off-camera preparation and study of the characters he brings to life. His performance in the upcoming film Everybody's Fine is outstanding and flawless," said Mr. de Abreu.

ABOUT ROBERT DE NIRO

Robert De Niro's next film, Everybody's Fine is a remake of Giuseppe Tornatore's "Stanno Tutti Bene" (Everybody's Fine). It follows a widower (De Niro) who embarks on an impromptu road trip to reconnect with each of his grown children only to discover that their lives are far from picture perfect. Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell also star. This Miramax Films' release, written and directed by Kirk Jones, is due in theaters on December 4. That same weekend Robert De Niro will be one of the artists honored at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., to receive the 32nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors for their artistry and their contribution to the cultural life of the nation.

Currently Robert De Niro is filming Universal's Little Fockers, a Tribeca Production, directed by Paul Weitz. Along with De Niro the cast includes Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo and Jessica Alba. In addition, De Niro will also star in the upcoming Nu Image Films' psychological thriller Stone. Due for release next year, the film also stars Edward Norton and is directed by John Curran.

Robert De Niro launched his prolific motion picture career in Brian De Palma's The Wedding Party in 1969. By 1973 De Niro had twice won the New York Film Critics' Award for Best Supporting Actor in recognition of his critically acclaimed performances in Bang the Drum Slowly and Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets.

In 1974 De Niro received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II. In 1980 he won his second Oscar, as Best Actor, for his extraordinary portrayal of Jake La Motta in Scorsese's Raging Bull.

De Niro has earned Academy Award nominations in four additional films: as Travis Bickle in Scorsese's acclaimed Taxi Driver, as a Vietnam vet in Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter as a catatonic patient brought to life in Penny Marshall's Awakenings and in 1992 as Max Cady, an ex-con looking for revenge, in Scorsese's remake of the 1962 classic Cape Fear.

His recent film credits include the Tribeca co-production What Just Happened, a film that premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and was the closing night film at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. In addition, De Niro co-starred with Al Pacino in the crime drama Righteous Kill.

Robert De Niro's distinguished body of work also includes performances in Elia Kazan's The Last Tycoon; Bernardo Bertolucci's 1900; Ulu Grosbard's True Confessions and Falling In Love; Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America; Scorsese's The King of Comedy, New York, New York, Goodfellas, and Casino; Terry Gilliam's Brazil; Roland Joffe's The Mission; Brian De Palma's The Untouchables; Alan Parker's Angel Heart; Martin Brest's Midnight Run; David Jones' Jacknife; Martin Ritt's Stanley & Iris; Neil Jordan's We're No Angels; Penny Marshall's Awakenings; Ron Howard's Backdraft; Michael Caton-Jones' This Boy's Life; John McNaughton's Mad Dog and Glory; Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; Michael Mann's Heat; Barry Levinson's Sleepers and Wag the Dog; Jerry Zaks' Marvin's Room; Tony Scott's The Fan; James Mangold's Cop Land; Alfonso Cuaron's Great Expectations; Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown; John Frankenheimer's Ronin; Harold Ramis' Analyze This and Analyze That; Joel Schumacher's Flawless; Des McAnuff's The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle; George Tillman's Men of Honor; John Herzfeld's 15 Minutes; Frank Oz's The Score; Tom Dey's Showtime; Michael Caton-Jones' City By The Sea; Nick Hamm's, Godsend; John Polson's Hide and Seek; Mary McGuckian's The Bridge of San Luis Rey; DreamWorks' Shark Tale and Jay Roach's Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers, both Tribeca Productions.

De Niro takes pride in the development of his production company, Tribeca Productions, the Tribeca Film Center, which he founded with Jane Rosenthal in 1988, and in the Tribeca Film Festival, which he founded with Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 as a response to the attacks on the World Trade Center. The festival was conceived to foster the economic and cultural revitalization of Lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music, and culture. The festival's mission is to promote New York City as a major filmmaking center and help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audiences.

Through Tribeca Productions, De Niro develops projects on which he serves in a combination of capacities, including producer, director and actor. Tribeca's A Bronx Tale in 1993 marked De Niro's directorial debut. He later directed and co-starred in The Good Shepherd with Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie.

For more information please go to HollywoodFestival.com